All Things in Their Own Time
by Caribou Kid
Summary: On a routine flight back to NIMR Nelson and Crane find themselves taking a very unexpected detour.
1. Chapter 1

**All Things in Their Own Time**

 **By Caribou Kid**

Lee Crane, captain of the Nelson Institute for Marine Research submarine SSRN Seaview, carefully stowed the luggage for himself and his boss, Admiral Harriman Nelson (ret), in the bright yellow marvel Flying Submarine One or FS-1, as it gently bobbed next to the dock. They had remained behind in Sydney, Australia, following a month long research voyage of the Great Barrier Reef to attend a forum on ocean science, and for Nelson to tie up some loose ends on a new research partnership between NIMR and the Australian government. Seaview had departed for home a week early under the capable leadership of Chip Morton, XO of the boat.

As Lee made sure all the bags had made it aboard FS-1, and that everything was properly secured he spotted his boss coming down the dock along with their host Dr. Gregory Luca. Both men wore dark sunglasses against the mid-morning sun, yet still seemed to be bothered by the glare. Lee laughed quietly to himself knowing exactly the reason for their condition. Following the last session of the forum, the participants were invited to a lavish dinner that extended well into the very wee hours of the morning.

Using the excuse that he had to do all the flying the next day, Lee excused himself from the festivities very early in the evening, leaving the admiral to freely engage with his peers without worrying about boring his captain and chosen son with shop talk. Nelson was close friends with a number of keynote speakers at the forum, and based on their voiced need to catch up on each other's lives, Lee expected them to be partying hard until the sun came up.

For Lee that was one of the most surprising discoveries he'd made after accompanying the admiral to some of these forums; the genius set was for the most part hard core party hounds belying their rather staid and stuffy public personas. Lee had always kidded Nelson that he and his colleagues were all such rabid partiers because they had an abundance of excess brain cells to sacrifice in the name of science and were making up for lost time during their youth spent in the lab. That comment was usually met with a harrumph and a request to pass the coffee and the aspirin bottle.

Lee was in no way surprised when he heard the door to their shared hotel suite open and close quietly around 0330 that morning. He stifled a laugh as he heard Harri rummaging through the small fridge in the mini-bar for the chilled bottles of water to begin the rehydration process and hopefully mitigate the roaring hangover he'd probably have when he got up later that morning.

"Morning, Dr. Luca," Lee called out cheerfully as the two men neared FS-1. The older man grimaced more than smiled and waved. Lee worked hard to bury his snicker and caught a quick glare from Nelson.

"Morning to you too, Captain. You're looking particularly chipper today," Luca replied as he took in Lee's broad blinding smile.

"Yes, sir. It's a great day for flying and I'm really looking forward to giving FS-1 a good workout on our long flight home," Lee answered. "Admiral, is there anything else that needs to be stowed aboard?"

"No Lee, I think you've got everything," Harri responded.

"Well why don't you give me your briefcase and I'll put it away for you," Lee offered.

Harri nodded and handed the case over to his captain. "Just leave it on the bunk, I want to pull out a couple of reports I'd like to read during the flight."

"Aye, sir," Lee answered and chuckled to himself knowing Harri would be out like a light almost before they left the dock. He bid farewell to Luca and climbed aboard FS-1 to begin the process of warming up the craft for their flight.

A few minutes later Harri climbed aboard and secured the aft hatch. He walked to the bunk, opened his briefcase, removed two documents from the case then shut it and stowed it in the aft locker. He removed his jacket and hung it up in the locker as well. He also pulled out his handkerchief, dabbed at the perspiration on his brow then shoved the cloth into his pocket and took the co-pilot's seat next to Lee.

As he sat down and began buckling in, he noticed Lee trying to bite back a smile as he quickly turned his head to regard the numerous switches on the panel to his left. "That's enough out of you, Captain," Harri groused. "Next time, I'm going to make you spend the entire evening with me since so much of NIMR's new business comes from these…um… meetings that occur following a conference."

"I didn't say a word, sir," Lee replied innocently, then finally gave in and started laughing at the sorry state of his commanding officer. "By the looks of it, and by the early or more appropriate late hour of your return this morning, I assume we should be set with work for the next year or more."

Nelson glowered at the younger man for nearly a minute then finally relented and began chuckling himself. "Oh god, I haven't drunk that much in years. I'd forgotten Luca's propensity for zombies and his gift of gab."

Lee shuddered in sympathy knowing that Harri had to have one wicked hangover, and given the concoction's name it tended to leave the imbiber very much like the walking dead in the morning. "Would you like me to pull a couple of bottles of water out of the cooler, sir?" Lee offered.

"No thanks, Lee. I'll have some coffee after we've taken off."

Lee nodded and continued on with his flight preparations. He double checked that Nelson was securely belted in then contacted the local air traffic control tower to notify them they were shoving off and would be taking flight shortly.

(ooloo)

Lee gently backed FS-1 away from the dock then motored slowly past the breakwater of the small boat harbor. Once he was in open ocean, he called the control tower and got clearance to take off. He punched the controls and FS-1 accelerated rapidly then lifted gracefully up off the ocean surface and climbed quickly into the air. He did a comprehensive check of all the systems ensuring that everything was in the green, then made a sweeping turn to starboard and started their 10-hour flight back to Santa Barbara.

After about 20 minutes into the flight, Lee noticed Harri beginning to do 'touch and goes'. As he nodded off his chin touched lightly on his chest and then he jerked his head up as he fought to stay awake. He contemplated suggesting Harri stretch out on the bunk but knew that would be shrugged off. Another 10 minutes and he was completely out snoring softly, his selected reading material lying in a heap on his lap.

Lee laughed quietly to himself and quickly checked his watch to see how closely he had come to his estimated time for Harri's departure. He smiled smugly having hit the time to the minute. Now left to his own devices until the admiral awoke, he began putting FS-1 through a series of subtle maneuvers changing direction, speed, and elevation to check her responsiveness. The little craft flew like a dream and answered every call her master made. The only thing that rivaled his time at the controls of FS-1 was skippering her big sister, Seaview.

Sleeping exceedingly deep, Harri hadn't registered any of his pilot's maneuverings. He was pulled reluctantly awake as something fluttered by his face tickling his nose and forehead. He reflexively batted at the irritation, then lazily pried open an eye to see what was annoying him. In the brief moment it took for him to register his surroundings, he went from completely relaxed to sitting bolt upright with a solid death grip on the arms of his seat. He was instantly alarmed at discovering the water up and the sky down.

"What the hell?!" Harri blustered.

So entranced and focused on his flying, Lee had neglected to notice the admiral waking up. "Oops," he replied quietly, then grinned sheepishly and blushed at least 10 shades of red. "Sorry, sir. Just got a little carried away." He then smoothly returned the craft to the correct orientation.

Harri glared at Lee for a long minute wondering what else he'd been doing since he nodded off. "Having a good time, Commander?" he asked petulantly.

Lee gave up any pretense of being embarrassed and smiled broadly at his CO and friend. "As a matter of fact, I am. Thank you for asking," he shot back and then burst out laughing. Hard as Harri tried, he couldn't hold his stern glare of disapproval and soon joined his chosen son in the laugh.

"Actually sir, I've been testing the controls and getting a better feeling for FS-1's full capabilities," Lee offered lamely.

"Yeah, right," Harri deadpanned. "I take it you found my company less than stimulating."

Lee laughed again. "The conversation was dragging a bit, sir."

"Just keep it level and right side up, shall we son? Am I going to be forced to have arrows painted inside indicating which side should be up?"

Lee just chuckled as he put the small craft on auto pilot then unbuckled his harness. "Would you like some coffee now, Harri?" Harri nodded his agreement and Lee pushed up out of his seat and moved to one of the aft lockers to unpack a thermos and two cups.

(ooloo)

Harri reached down and picked up the reports now resting on the deck at his feet and chuckled to himself. It was so rare to see the playful side of his captain peeking out, something that prior to them working jointly on the creation of FS-1, would have never been allowed to occur. Regardless the situation, Lee always maintained a certain formality with Harri and as hard as he tried to get the younger man to loosen up and just let go, it never happened. He seemed to have a pathological need to always maintain control and keep a part of himself safe behind stout walls.

As they spent countless hours poring over the blueprints for FS-1, making adjustments and fine tuning the design, then the actual construction and flight testing, Lee finally began to let down his walls and let loose some of the reins of control. Harri had been delighted to finally be privy to that seldom seen aspect of the younger man's personality. When fully at ease and relaxed, he was prone to any number of pranks and owned a wicked sense of humor that left Harri shaking his head in amazement. He had seen fleeting glimpses of it as Lee and Chip interacted, but that was only after whatever mayhem had been set loose on the other man and retribution was being exacted by the offended party.

The work on their joint project reminded Harri very much of a similar effort with his own father during his one year in the Cub Scouts. They had worked diligently on designing and building a small wooden racecar for the organization's annual Pinewood Derby. It was one of the few times Harri remembered ever being fully at ease in his father's company, as the task seemed to foster a sense of comradery and trust. His father had been so proud of Harri when his little car won the entire event on his first try. They never seemed to recapture that ease with each other again as his intellect was recognized for what it was, and he was ushered into the world of advanced academics and forced to leave many of the joys of childhood behind. To this day he lamented the loss of that easy intimacy with his father.

He was thoroughly surprised to have recaptured that joy and sense of comradery with Lee as they worked on his high tech version of the little racer. His captain, never shy about voicing his opinion as it pertained to operations on Seaview, and the safety and security of his crew, for the first time truly shared openly his own brilliance and was thrilled at Harri's response and appreciation of his ideas. By the time they declared FS-1 fully functional and ready for operation, they had established a new level of familiarity and trust. The deep seated respect Lee held for Harri was still there and very much in evidence in public, but in private he now interacted with him more as an equal, and as a confidant and special friend; all formality and reservations were gone. They had truly become father and son.

Unbeknownst to Lee, Harri had already initiated steps to make that new dynamic more permanent. He had instructed his attorney to modify his will making Lee his primary beneficiary and heir to his NIMR organization. Lee would take over leadership and become the guiding influence once Harri retired. Harri smiled, pleased at having found his successor, and could think of no one better to protect and preserve all he had worked for during his life. He had planned to tell Lee once they got back to NIMR, but the more he thought it over, the more he felt now would be the perfect time. Lee was completely relaxed, there would be no interruptions and he couldn't escape until they landed.

(ooloo)

"What?" Lee asked, as he observed the broad smile on Nelson's face, as he handed him a cup of coffee.

"Huh? Oh nothing. Thanks," Harri responded as he accepted the cup, a bit chagrined to be caught daydreaming.

"Why are you smiling like the cat that just ate the canary?" Lee inquired.

"No reason in particular," Nelson lied. "Just enjoying the flight and the company. So how long before we're home?"

"Hmmm," Lee replied, not the least bit convinced about that. He was able to read Harri like a book any more, especially since spending all that time together working on FS-1. He knew the man was up to something and that look on his face usually meant Nelson had some plan or surprise in mind for him, which at times could be quite daunting. "We should be back in another 6 hours. We have one heck of a tail wind and are making great time."

"Excellent. So are you going to give me any flight time this trip?" Nelson asked as he sipped on his coffee.

Lee looked at him almost affronted by the request, then a large smile spread across his face. "Yeah, I suppose I can give you a couple of hours, as long as you don't hurt my baby."

"Your baby? As I recall I'm the one with the pink slip," Harri bantered back.

"That's just a technical detail, she's my girl," Lee said as he laughed and winked at Harri. "You just have the better insurance rate, that's why we put her in your name."

They sat quietly for a few minutes sipping on their coffee and looking out at the endless expanse of ocean in front of them. Feeling his courage sufficiently bolstered, Harri cleared his throat.

"You ready to take over the controls?" Lee asked.

"No, not right now. Just leave it on autopilot for a while. There is however something I would like to discuss with you."

"Oh? Something from the conference or something with Seaview or NIMR?" Lee inquired, somewhat perplexed by the pensive expression now on Harri's face.

"Only indirectly, son. Lee… Geez how do I really say this?" Harri began. Lee furrowed his brow becoming somewhat concerned with Harri's struggle for words. "Lee, I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the time we spent together on the FS-1 project. I really felt that it brought us much closer, we have become much more than just friends; that we have built a very deep trust and regard for each other."

Lee nodded his agreement with that statement. "Yes sir, I enjoyed it very much myself. I appreciated the opportunity to work so closely with you, to get a true glimpse into your creative genius, and to just have the chance to hang out. I hope you will pardon my impertinence, but I kind of imagined it was what it would be like working on something with a father," Lee offered, hoping he wouldn't embarrass himself or Nelson. "I know at Christmas you said you thought of me as your son, well sir, I've long thought of you as… um… my dad."

Harri smiled, reached over and patted Lee on the shoulder. "That's exactly what I'd like to discuss with you Lee. There are some things I would like to do and want your input on it before I finalize everything."

Lee smiled in return. It was quite obvious from his expression that his curiosity was piqued by Harri's words. "Hey did you just see that?"

"See what? Where?"

"A large bright flash, at three o'clock," Lee replied as he pointed past Harri's shoulder. They both peered out the window looking for the flash Lee had described.

"Why don't you take us back over the area and we'll see if we can find it," Nelson replied, his curiosity now piqued by Lee's observation.

"Aye, sir." Lee quickly flipped off the autopilot and initiated a wide banking turn to starboard as he circled back around to the area where he saw the flash. As they flew over, they noticed a small crescent shaped atoll that had formed around a deep hole in the ocean floor, a feature normally formed when subterranean caves collapsed. Lee slowed their speed and circled around the unique little islet. As they looked it over they were nearly blinded by another brilliant flash emanating from the center of the deep hole.

"What the hell?" Harri remarked as he rubbed his eyes trying to get rid of the purple and yellow dots that danced in his vision. "I've never seen anything like that before."

"Me either," Lee answered. "I didn't see anybody down there, do you think we should drop down and take a look?"

"Why not, we've got time."

Lee nodded and flipped on the radio. "FS-1 to NIMR Control."

"NIMR Control, we read you FS-1."

"NIMR Control we are going to divert from our flight plan and land to investigate an odd phenomenon we just observed. I'm transmitting coordinates now," Lee stated.

"Copy that FS-1. We have received your updated coordinates. Do you have an estimated time for how long you will be on site?" the controller asked.

"Negative at this time. Once we land, I'll call back and give you a better estimate after we've had a closer look."

"Copy that FS-1. We'll be standing by for your update."

"Roger, NIMR Control. FS-1 out." Lee turned off the radio then began his descent to the atoll. He quickly brought the small craft down and placed it gracefully on the ocean surface without so much as a bump.

"She really is your baby, isn't she Lee?" Harri remarked as he admired the skill and finesse his captain had for the craft. Lee just smiled and nodded as he guided FS-1 towards the shore of the atoll. He carefully beached the small craft on the widest point of the white sand beach and cut the engines.

They both scanned the area for any indications that someone was around. There were no signs of people or animals on the islet. "Well, do you want to get out?" Lee asked.

"Since we're here, we might as well," Harri replied with a broad smile. Lee just shook his head in mild amusement. With Harri's curiosity now fully engaged, they were going to be here for at least an hour trying to discover the cause of the flash.

Lee flipped the radio back on. "FS-1 to NIMR Control."

"NIMR Control, go ahead FS-1."

"We've landed safely and have beached FS-1 on the shore of the atoll. We're heading out to investigate and will be gone at least an hour. I'll check back in 60 minutes to confirm our status."

"Copy FS-1, we'll be waiting for you signal in 60 minutes. Be careful out there, you're a long way from anywhere."

"Roger that NIMR Control. Be talking to you shortly, FS-1 out." Lee shut off the radio, unbuckled his harness and climbed out of his seat to join the admiral. Harri was at the aft hatch already spinning the hatch wheel. Lee smiled then moved to the locker next to the hatch and pulled out two guns and holsters and handed one to Nelson.

"You really think those are going to be necessary? I don't know about you but I didn't spot anything that looked the least bit dangerous," Harri replied as he accepted the weapon.

"Chalk it up to my life as a spy, I don't like going into unknown situations without a little backup on my hip," Lee answered as he fastened the belt around his waist.

"Anyone ever tell you you're a tad bit paranoid?" Harri kidded back.

"Ever wonder why I'm still alive? And just because you're not paranoid, doesn't mean that they aren't out to get you too." Lee replied evenly, then winked.

"Point taken," Harri said with a laugh. "Come on son, let's go check this out and then we can head for home."

(ooloo)

Harri made the last turn of the hatch wheel and pushed open the door. A surge of hot air rushed into FS-1 eliciting a groan of discomfort from both men. Nelson stepped outside and was quickly followed by Crane.

"Well, what now?" Lee asked.

"Let's walk the shoreline on both sides of the hole and if we don't see anything that could have made the flash, we'll just consider it an odd anomaly and head back home."

"Sounds like a plan to me. Lead the way sir."

The atoll was at most 600 yards long and about 100 yards wide covered entirely in fine white sand and nothing else. Lee had beached FS-1 at its midpoint which would allow them to do a complete shoreline walk of the island and end up back at their ride. Harri started walking east on the ocean side with Lee at his side. They both scanned the water and sand for any sign of what had caught their attention.

They rounded the end of the island and began their walk along the inside shoreline along the deep hole. Again they spied nothing as they ambled along the water's edge. Looking down into the hole they noticed a diverse wealth of sea life, but nothing that looked capable of generating a burst of light. They continued on until they returned to FS-1 having completely walked the small island's shoreline.

"That was somewhat anticlimactic," Lee offered as he keyed in his combination on FS-1's lock.

"To say the least," Harri agreed. "I guess we'll just chalk it up to some weather anomaly. Although, we could take FS-1 to the bottom of the hole and see if we spot anything there. Maybe there's some sort of volcanic vent or something that causes the water to churn up from time to time. What do you think, son?"

Not thrilled at the idea of venturing down to find an explosive volcanic vent, Lee remained silent for a moment as he weighed the pros and cons of doing that now. Odds were that it was something as simple as that and there was limited danger, but without backup from Seaview, he was hesitant to make the dive. On the other hand, he also knew that if they didn't do it now they would be back here at the first opportunity, and he really wasn't interested in returning to this wide spot in the south Pacific.

"Well, I'm waiting," Harri prodded.

"Yes sir, I guess we can take her down a ways and see what we find. I don't suppose there's all that much risk," Lee hedged. His less than excited response had Harri laughing.

"Oh come on, why don't you take a ride on the wild side? Let's throw a little caution to the wind."

"Seriously, sir? Me take a ride on the wild side?" Lee replied skeptically. "Aren't you the one constantly telling me _**I**_ take too many risks?"

Nelson looked at his captain then turned on his best sad puppy dog eyes to get the younger man to capitulate. "Awww, not the sad admiral eyes. Sheesh. Alright sir, get aboard and we'll take a look in the hole," Lee said as he relented and they both began laughing.

(ooloo)

Once aboard and buckled in, Lee contacted NIMR Control to update their situation. He informed them they would be descending into the hole for a look and then resume their trip home. He fired up the engines, backed the little sub off the beach then motored around the island and entered the small lagoon.

"Can you get a depth reading on that thing, sir?"

Harri quickly perused the gauges. "Wow that's deeper than I would have thought. According to the gauge it bottoms out at 500 feet."

"That's amazing to be that deep and yet so clear, I swear I could see the bottom from the air. Well here we go," Lee said as he submerged FS-1 and began their descent into the hole.

As they began to descend, Harri hit the switch to begin videotaping their trip to the bottom. They were both surprised at the diversity of the fish, coral, and plant life that called the watery pit home. Reaching 300 feet, there was a sudden surge of turbulence and a curtain of bubbles began flowing upwards past the sub followed by an intense flash of light and a high pitched whine that left the two men momentarily blinded with their hands clapped firmly over their ears.

FS-1 pitched and spun in the wake of the turbulence. Lee dropped his hands from his ears and instinctively grabbed the control sticks and desperately tried to steer his boat upwards and out of the growing whirlpool. The next thing they knew there was a powerful surge of energy that washed over their craft and then there was nothing as they lost consciousness and the little yellow sub was sucked into the void below.

(ooloo)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Lee heard a low moan in the distance and then realized it was him. He hurt all over feeling as though he'd been put through the spin cycle in the washing machine. He cracked open his eyes and found FS-1 dark but a dim light shone through the windows of the sub allowing him to barely make out the inside of the cabin. Completing a quick inventory of his body he found that other than a slight headache, he seemed to be uninjured.

He looked over to his right and spotted Harri slumped over in his seat unconscious. "Admiral…Harri, can you hear me? Are you all right sir?" He was greeted with silence and was suddenly more concerned. He unbuckled his harness and carefully pushed himself out of his seat so he could more thoroughly check on Nelson.

He could see the rise and fall of his chest in the limited light, so at least he knew he was alive. Lee did a quick check of Harri's condition and spotted nothing obviously wrong. He gently shook him trying to bring to bring him around but to no avail. He shook him once more and this time got a low moan and he began moving his head from side to side. "Admiral, are you okay?"

"Ugh, my head," Harri replied hoarsely as his eyes slowly opened. "What happened? Where are we?"

"I haven't a clue," Lee answered, as he moved back to his seat and began trying to return power and lights to the cabin. As he flipped the various switches he found the systems inactive and when he looked at the power level indicator on the reactor it registered zero. "What the hell? How did that happen?"

"What? What are you looking at?" Nelson inquired.

"According to the gauge, our fuel rods have been completely drained; we have no power."

"Huh? That's not possible," Nelson replied as he unbuckled his harness, pushed out of his seat and moved to the power plant. He opened the small cabinet next to the controls and pulled out a flashlight and flipped it on. He quickly perused the readouts and sure enough every one indicated zero.

In the meantime, Lee tried to establish radio contact and found that system dead as well. He looked up from the console and started scanning the area outside the sub. The muted lighting didn't allow for him to see far, but from what he could make out, they were in some sort of a chamber or cavern and out of the water. There was a faint pulsating light across the room but no other details could be discerned.

"What do you think happened, Admiral? Do you have any idea where we might be?"

Harri moved over to Lee's side and also looked out the windows. He shook his head slowly as he tried to make out anything in the darkened room. "My guess is we tripped some sort of transport device as we descended into that hole but where that took us, I haven't a clue."

"Well it looks as though we're in a dry room of some sort, do you think we should venture out to see what's there or wait for someone to come knocking?" Lee asked.

"I'm inclined to venture out, but we need to know if the air out there is safe to breathe. I think we can manually operate one of the sample ports to pull off a slug of that atmosphere and then we can test it before we commit to opening up the hatch and letting it in," Harri offered.

Lee nodded in agreement. "Concur, sir. I'll get to the manual controls if you want to grab the sensor."

Nelson nodded and moved to one of the storage lockers as Lee opened the equipment panel to reveal the sample ports and engaged the manual controls. He rapidly manipulated the control to pull in a sample of the outside atmosphere then sealed the sample container. He secured the port then opened the small hatch, removed the container and handed it to Harri. As he secured the panel he noticed that the external thermometer indicated it was 85 degrees F outside the sub.

Nelson inserted a small bore needle through the membrane on the top of the lid and drew a measure of the air into the sensor. He flipped the switch that powered up the machine and initiated the analysis. It took little less than a minute before the results were displayed on the screen.

"Hmm. This is very promising," Harri said. "Looks like the mixture out there is about 3% richer in oxygen than conditions on earth, but there don't appear to be any toxic components at significant levels. Based on this I'd say it's safe to breathe."

"According to the thermometer it's 85 so the temperature shouldn't be an issue. I'd say a trip outside is warranted, wouldn't you?" Lee offered.

"I would say so, if we want to figure out where the hell we are and how we got here."

"I agree sir," Lee responded. He then moved to the weapons locker and removed the guns and holsters again and handed one to Harri. This time Harri accepted it without comment. Lee also pulled out two small backpacks that contained emergency survival equipment and supplies. Harri raised an eyebrow as Lee passed him the pack. "We could get cut off or run into problems; better safe than sorry I say, sir."

Harri smiled and nodded. His captain's instincts bordered on the supernatural when it came to anticipating potential problems and given their current situation he had no valid argument to rebut bringing the equipment along. He quickly pulled on the pack and secured the strap across his chest. He picked up the flashlights they had been using and passed one to Lee. "Well, shall we?"

(ooloo)

Lee grabbed the aft hatch wheel, slowly spun it to the left and undogged the hatch. He next cautiously pushed against the door forcing it open. The warm air in the cavern quickly surged into the sub. There were strange odors similar to mold and the smell of the shoreline at low tide. The air was also heavy with humidity and their clothes seemed to vacuum seal against their skin as it soaked the fabric. There was also an absence of noise; no hum of machinery, drip of water, or anything for that matter.

Lee stepped slowly out into the cavern surprised to find a smooth polished floor, and was quickly followed by Harri who secured and locked the hatch. As they moved away from FS-1 they flicked on their flashlights and began playing the beams over the area around them. The room was large and relatively featureless. They shined their lights on the walls around them and noticed no signs of machinery or control panels. It seemed to be a dome constructed out of some black material and was completely smooth. Lee shined his beam up on the ceiling and observed what looked like anodes or power posts embedded in a triangular pattern. He tapped Harri on the shoulder and pointed the feature out.

"Interesting," Harri replied. "I'm thinking this must be a transport chamber of some sort. I wonder if there are corresponding posts in the floor?" He began aiming his beam around the room and spotted four posts located in the floor with FS-1 positioned squarely in the middle. "Come on Lee, let's head over towards that flashing light."

Lee nodded and followed Harri. Nearing the light, they were finally able to make out what appeared to be a sliding door. The light was encased in a translucent cover and located within what looked like a switch plate placed slightly below their waist level. Harri looked at Lee silently asking if he should push it. Lee shrugged and nodded, knowing that was most likely the only way they were going to be able to find out where they were and how to get back home. He pulled the gun from his holster in preparation for the opening of the door.

Nelson pressed the button then they both stood back hugging the wall on either side as the door obediently slid open flooding the chamber with light from the hallway. They waited for a few seconds and when nothing came rushing through they moved away from the wall and peered cautiously into the hall.

Much like the cave the hallway was bland with no outstanding features. It was gray in color with recessed lighting running down the center of the ceiling. The floor was smooth and looked similar to polished concrete. To the left, the hall ran about 20 feet then terminated at a blank wall. To the right it continued on and curved to the left making it impossible to see what was at the other end. They eased their way cautiously into the hallway and stepped across hugging the opposite wall as they began inching their way towards the other end.

Reaching the end of the corridor they found another lighted switch panel and door. There appeared to be no sort of security or detection equipment present. That seemed somewhat odd but nothing about their current situation was normal.

"Ready?" Harri asked quietly, his hand poised over the door switch. Lee squeezed the grip of his gun harder and nodded. Nelson pressed the button and the door dutifully slid open revealing two of the facility occupants on the other side. They all were quite startled to discover the others on the opposite side of the door.

(ooloo)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The entities were completely alien to the men of Seaview. They were relatively short and cylindrical in shape like a worm, _standing,_ for lack of a better word, no more than four feet in height with a short thick tail extending a couple of feet behind them. Their bodies were reminiscent of nudibranchs, a variety of sea snail found in the Earth's oceans. They were large slug like creatures and their bodies were covered in a bluish, spotted, semi-translucent flesh with a faint fluorescent glow that revealed an internal cartilaginous skeleton and organs. There were also two rows of bright yellow and orange ruffled strips of flesh running the length of their bodies that undulated forward and back like slender pennants flapping in the breeze. They had two eye stalks extending from their heads which twitched and rotated to regard first the intruders, then each other, what looked like vestigial gill slits on either side of their throats and a toothless mouth centered beneath the eyes, that were currently agape.

Midway around their bodies they had what appeared to be a utility belt of some sort that had numerous devices and pouches attached. Lee and Harri watched in amazement as the creatures suddenly extended tentacles from their slug like bodies forming the equivalent of human arms and hands. They quickly retrieved a small object from their belts and pointed it at the two men.

"We mean you no harm," Nelson said as he eyed what had to be weapons pointed at them. He shot a quick look at Lee, who then lowered and holstered his gun.

The aliens cocked their heads and exchanged a series of sounds that could best be described as a gargling humpback whale. After a moment the one on the left reached down to its belt and began manipulating a small device. "Who are you? How did you get here?" sounded from the small box on its belt. Harri and Lee exchanged startled looks at the rapid translation to English.

"My name is Harriman Nelson and this Lee Crane, we are from the planet Earth. As far as getting here, we stopped to examine an anomalous flash of light from a small atoll in our ocean and found ourselves suddenly trapped in some form of energy beam. The next thing we both knew we were here, wherever here is," Nelson explained. "Might I ask where we are, and how in fact we did get here?"

"You are on the planet Odeja. I am Kolmar Dix and this is my partner Demari Kir. At the moment I am at a loss to explain your arrival here. Just how did you come to be at this door?"

"We were in our vessel and when we exited we were in a large cavern. We walked to a flashing switch and it opened the door leading to this hallway," Nelson replied.

The Odejaians apparently looked at each other as their eyestalks swiveled to regard the other. Lee and Harri inferred they were as puzzled as they were by their unexpected arrival, though it was hard to tell since they had no way of reading Odejaian expressions.

"Take us to your vessel," Demari said and motioned down the hall.

Harri nodded then they turned and walked back down the hallway to the open chamber door. They entered the room followed closely by the two aliens, though Harri thought ironically, he and Lee were now the aliens. As they entered there was a sudden exchange between Dix and Kir in their native tongue.

Neither Harri nor Lee made any move to go to FS-1 or to open the sub. They had no intention of giving them ready access to the inside of the boat at this moment in time. Kolmar quickly circled the small craft eyeing it closely and slowly waved a small device it had removed from its belt over FS-1 looking for clues as to how it managed to access the portal and arrive on their planet.

After another exchange between the Odejaians, they focused their eyes on their guests. "Is your craft powered by nuclear fusion or fission?" Kolmar asked.

Harri shot a quick look at Lee and received a slight shrug in response. "Fission. There is a small nuclear reactor on board that powers the craft." They were at the mercy of their hosts to return to Earth so they might as well provide some information and hopefully build some trust.

"That explains it," Demari replied.

"I'm glad it explains it to you," Harri responded. "Would you be willing to explain it to us?"

"We are explorers, Harriman Nelson. This chamber is our launching point for reaching out into the galaxy. By means of wormholes, we are able to access different planets, but only those that possess liquid water. Water serves as the receiving conduit on the other end of our probe. We had just visited your planet looking for signs of intelligent life. What we had found was a remote island in the middle of your expansive ocean and no signs of higher life forms. We had intended to make one more foray to your planet and if we failed to locate a more intelligent species we would have ceased any further investigations," Demari began.

"After a jump the portal remains open for a short period of time. You apparently entered into the portal while it was still active, and because you had such a powerful energy source on your vessel, you triggered the transport sequence and it brought you here. The odds of that happening are nearly incalculable," Kolmar finished.

"I see. Might I ask your intentions as you conduct your explorations?" Harri inquired, immediately suspicious given their previous run-ins with 'visitors' to Earth.

"We are reaching out to see what other entities and civilizations exist. When we encounter an inhabited planet, we conduct a covert observation of the dominant species to determine their level of technological sophistication and if active interaction would be of value or even welcomed. If you have concerns over military aggression, we have no such appetites to conquer or rule. Our primary interest is commerce," Demari answered.

"That's comforting to know," Harri responded a bit skeptically.

The creatures chatted between each other and then focused their gaze on Lee. "Does this one speak or is it a mute servant?" asked Dix

Harri snorted in laughter as Lee shot him a nasty glare. "Only on rare occasions does he hold his tongue. Lee is the captain of my vessel and works for and with me on our planet."

"Ah a subordinate, you command him. Then you are the leader of your people?"

"No, I am not the leader of my planet. I have an institute that is dedicated to exploring and protecting the oceans of our world. I have a much larger submarine back on Earth from which we conduct our work. Lee also commands that craft as well," Harri explained.

"So he is more than just a mere drone?" Kir inquired.

"Yes, I am more than I mere drone," Lee replied testily. "I oversee the operations of the boat and ensure the personnel aboard are kept safe during our missions."

"I meant no offense, Lee Crane. It's just that you had not spoken and we have observed other cultures that practice such divisions of their species. We too have a servant class that is genetically mute," Kir replied.

"No offense taken. I was merely deferring to the senior member of our group," Lee added.

"Well, I think it best we retire to a more comfortable location so we may continue our introductions and discussions. If you would be so kind as to follow us, we will move on," Kolmar offered.

Harri and Lee nodded accepting their invitation. They had little choice one way or the other and were at the moment somewhat relieved at the reception they had received and their host's description of their intentions.

(ooloo)

The Odejaians led the two men out of the transport chamber and escorted them down a number of hallways to a smaller room. The walls were covered with hangings that Lee and Harri took for art along with a decorative and colorful print on the wall itself. There were several of what looked like bean bag chairs on the floor and Kolmar and Demari quickly positioned themselves on two of them and sat back. "Please Harriman, Lee, be seated and make yourselves comfortable," Demari said as it gestured to the remaining chairs.

Lee quickly crossed his feet at the ankles and smoothly lowered himself to sit Indian style on the chair. Harri rolled his eyes at Lee's fluid ease in taking his seat. He then leaned down and dropped into the chair hoping to salvage some shred of dignity as he floundered around trying to find a comfortable position. He knew getting up was going to be an ugly proposition at best.

As they settled in, Kolmar pressed another button on the belt around its waist and shortly they were joined by a smaller version of their hosts, which carried a tray that had cups and a carafe resting on top. The smaller Odejaian pressed something on its belt and a round pedestal rose up out of the floor becoming a table for the refreshments. As soon as the tray was deposited and a purple liquid poured into each of the cups, the servant left with no apparent exchange of words.

"Based on the few scans we have taken of you; the drinks are compatible with your systems. It is derived from one of the fruits on our planet that I think you will enjoy," Kolmar offered.

"Thank you," Harri replied and he and Lee leaned forward and each collected a cup. They cautiously sipped on the beverage and found it sweet and rich, somewhat like peach nectar.

"That's very good, thank you," Lee said as he licked his lips. Harri nodded in agreement.

"I'm pleased that you find it palatable. I was wondering Harriman, if you would be willing to tell us about your planet and your society. We are most interested in your people and your history. It will also help to inform us on whether we should pursue contact at this point," Demari responded.

"Of course, if you would be willing to give us some insight into your race and your planet as well," Harri replied.

"By all means," Demari offered.

Harri gave a brief overview of the planet, basic human history, and a limited description of the current state of things. "Do you have any questions?" he asked as he finished speaking.

"Quite interesting. You say that your people have only made limited excursions into space and have only physically reached the moon circling your planet. I find it amazing that you have so easily accepted the transport to this planet and our existence and appearance, for not having ventured far. How is it you are so accepting?" Kolmar inquired.

"Through our exploration of our oceans, and based on the unique nature of our submarine Seaview, we have encountered others from different planets and dimensions. I would hazard a guess to say that our reaction would be the exception and not the norm that you would encounter in a first contact scenario," Harri answered.

"Hmm. Well lucky for us then that we encountered you first. Are you representative of your species? Tell me how many people call your Earth home?" Kolmar asked.

"I suppose you could say that Lee and I are representative of the males of our species. The other half of our population is female. At last estimate, there are around 7 billion people, give or take," Harri responded.

"So it takes male and female to reproduce. Curious. We are both male and female and our role in reproduction changes throughout our life cycle. We can generate offspring individually or exchange reproductive cells."

"That's interesting," Harri commented. "What prompts whether you reproduce yourself or introduce more genetic material?"

"That choice is generally a very personal decision, that I prefer not to go into at this time," Demari replied. "I was wondering, do you have a warrior class that defends your planet, Harriman?"

"A warrior class? In a manner of speaking. Each of the nations on our planet maintains certain military personnel and weapons to protect their borders and their citizens. Many nations have also formed alliances and treaties to pool their forces should they be attacked by more aggressive nations." Harri offered.

"You still have separate domains? You are not a unified people?" Kolmar asked, sounding somewhat surprised.

Harri shot Lee a concerned look as their hosts tried to delve deeper into the human military infrastructure and no doubt defense capabilities. Lee shrugged slightly indicating Harri might as well answer at least one more question. "No we are not a unified people. We are a fractious lot and prone to periods of petty bickering or in more severe instances, global war. It has been some time since a conflict that large has happened, and I hope that's because we're learning the folly of that activity. The major nations of our world tend to work hard to avoid letting things degrade into a situation where such conflict can occur. As I said, when pushed our people can become united and extremely focused on protecting what we value."

"So Kolmar, Harri has told you a great deal about us, how about you telling us about your people?" Lee interjected steering the topic away from Earth defenses.

"You act as a warrior Lee, are you part of your nation's military?" Kolmar pushed back.

"I am, as is Harri, although he has retired. I'm sure you understand our reticence to provide much more information on that topic at this time."

"Quite so," Demari cut in. "In answer to your query Lee, we are a very old people relative to your species. Our planet is located in orbit around binary stars some 6500 light years from yours. We have existed as a sentient species in excess of 10 million of your years and as you have probably guessed we evolved from the sea creatures of our planet. We have been exploring the universe for nearly 2 million of your years, reaching out to discover new worlds and new peoples. Early in our development we too lived in separate tribes and occasionally engaged in war against our neighbors. Unlike you we have not experienced the global wars you have described as we eliminated borders and learned to share the resources of our planet. We do however still retain a warrior class that is raised to protect our world should something arise, especially as we venture out further into the galaxy. To date, we have never had an assault on our planet."

"That's quite interesting," Harri interjected. "You said earlier that you are primarily concerned with conducting commerce with the planets you contact, what kind of things do you trade?"

"Various commodities based on each of our trading partner's needs. We trade technologies, natural resources, food, entertainment; it just depends on what is of value and of interest to both parties. We also function as expediters or middlemen facilitating trade between other planets," Kolmar replied.

"Technologies? So do you provide highly advanced technologies to whomever you trade with?" Lee asked. He was immediately concerned that should they pursue trade with Earth, military advancements would be the first thing most countries would endeavor to obtain.

"We provide appropriate technologies based on the specific planet. We have our own moral code, as it were, that prevents us from providing something that would unfairly advance one faction over another. And as you can imagine we are quite careful with whom we trade and what we offer to limit any potential threats to us or our planet," Kolmar answered.

"That seems quite a prudent practice," Harri interjected. "I would be very interested in seeing how vast a trading area you encompass. Just curiosity on my part, since as I have explained we are nowhere near your level of advancement."

"Of course Harriman, but later. I would suggest that we provide you a chamber in which you and Lee can rest for a time and then we can reconvene for sustenance and see about sending you back to your planet and us possibly accompanying you," Kolmar offered.

"That's quite acceptable to us. We would be more than willing to return to our ship if that is acceptable," Nelson said in response.

"Of course Harriman, I understand. I will have you escorted back and we can reconvene in two hours. Would that be sufficient?"

"Yes, perfect."

With that the Odejaians rose from their chairs. Lee quickly pushed up from his seat as well and fought hard to bury the smile at seeing Harri starting to squirm in his seat trying to get sufficient purchase to rise. As he looked down and made eye contact, Harri shot him a withering glare that said in no uncertain terms if he laughed he was dead meat. Lee plastered his best imitation of Chip's bland XO expression on his face and extended his hand down to Harri. Nelson quickly latched onto it allowing his captain to pull him to his feet.

"Wise choice, Captain," Nelson hissed quietly, as Lee fought even harder not to laugh.

Once all were up, the smaller Odejaian returned to the room and was waiting motionlessly for direction from the other two. Kolmar issued a number of gargling noises and the smaller entity appeared to bow slightly as if acknowledging orders.

"Harriman, Lee, Pradjic will escort you back to your ship. Rest well and we will see you shortly," Demari said and turned with Kolmar and exited the room.

(ooloo)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Now safely ensconced in FS-1 both men let loose a sigh, took off their packs and dropped into the two command chairs. They stared at each other in silence for a few moments as each worked on collecting his thoughts regarding their recent experience.

"Well Lee, what do you think of our hosts?" Harri asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm not sure, I'm still feeling very much like Alice coming to grips with having fallen down the rabbit hole," Lee replied as he shook his head. "I have no idea what passes for normal right now."

Harri laughed and nodded in agreement. "I have to admit I'm feeling very much like Alice as well. This was the last thing I expected when we left for home this morning."

"As far as our hosts, I haven't the slightest idea what to believe. They seem amiable enough, but I'm a bit dubious that they're only out here looking for customers. We are definitely on the shallow end of their trading pool."

Harri nodded his agreement once more. "I have those same reservations. I'm just hoping that they make good their promise to restore our fuel and send us home. Can you imagine the furor they would cause if they popped out and said "We're here!" to the general populace? The chaos and panic would be uncontrollable and would most likely spark some stupid reaction from the politicians in charge as they fought to control access to them."

"That's a given. I think we should try to convince them to not disclose their existence and if possible bypass our backwater of a planet for the time being," Lee replied with a faint smile.

"I concur, lad."

"Don't you consider it a little odd that there only seems to be the three Odejaians here? I mean if they are so consumed with trading, I would think that there would be a greater presence here carrying out operations. I can't believe this transport chamber isn't an expensive bit of engineering. Something about this operation here doesn't feel right, as though they're trying to hide something and not just from us."

"Now that you mention it, you're right," Harri replied. "Something else to ask our hosts I suppose." He smiled slightly, always appreciative of Lee's paranoia or over-developed sixth sense which effectively worked to keep him alive.

Lee pushed up wearily from his seat and walked to an aft locker. "Would you like something to drink or eat, sir?"

"I would kill for a shot of the family label, but I polished the last of that off last night with Gregory. I suppose I could go for a bottle of water."

Lee rustled around a bit in the locker, then pulled out two paper cups. After a moment he turned around and passed one of the cups to Harri. Nelson looked down into the cup and just smiled. "Where the hell did you get this?" he asked as he deeply inhaled the aroma of the amber liquid.

"It's actually your birthday present," Lee responded. "I found a store in Sydney that specializes in well-aged scotch. This one's supposedly been improving for the last 70 years."

Harri looked up in surprise, deeply touched by his son's thoughtful, extravagant, and decadent gift. "I must be paying you way too much if you can afford something like this," Harri said with a laugh. Lee smirked at him and then laughed as well. "Thank you son this is an incredible gift. Well then let's toast our return to Earth in one piece," he said as he raised his cup towards Lee.

"To home in one piece," Lee echoed and then they both took a sip and savored the smooth and potent potable that trickled down their throats.

(ooloo)

As they entered their quarters, Kolmar turned and faced its partner. "Well what do you think?"

Demari smiled and plopped into the chair at the far end of the room. "I think we just hit the jackpot. This planet is made to order and it will be exceedingly easy to operate without tipping off a soul to our existence. Think of it, 7 billion humans to choose from. We can supply our customers for hundreds of years to come. The only thing left to do is determine what their tolerances and physiological limits are and we can provide slaves and soldiers to any number of our partners."

Kolmar purred at the thought of what kind of returns they would reap trading in humans. "So how do we approach this? Should we keep the two we have and move in, or should we see if we can enlist their aid in paring down their population? Listening to Harriman's description of their race, I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to get him to turn over his enemies and identify the best ways to pirate them away."

"I think that last option sounds the best. Although I definitely want to know what they're capable of withstanding before we start delivering them across the galaxy. Last thing we need is some organism too frail to withstand anything but their own particular environment. You remember the problems we had with the Cataxians. They started going belly up as soon as they were put into service."

"Concur. Of the two we have, Lee seems to be the youngest and the one most physically fit. And since Harriman commands him, we can make a deal with him to give us Lee so we can discover their physical limits in exchange for a technological advance that would set him up as savior of his planet, and make him extremely rich. I get the impression he is the more intelligent of the two, and such an advance would be an easy thing for him to sell back on Earth."

"What if he won't take the deal?" Demari asked.

"Well then we will derive human limits from two subjects. I would however truly wish to have Harriman's assistance to help us locate a suitable base for our collection and transport activities. The fact he says that he is exploring and working in their oceans means he will have a good feel for suitable sites around their planet."

"So what do you think our chances will be of convincing him to give us Lee? I have been unable to really read their feelings towards each other. Although I suspect that with Harriman, being the senior and higher ranking individual they're probably not that emotionally attached."

"I think you're right. We have seen similar patterns across the galaxy, especially with the warrior class. I don't think it will take much convincing to have him hand his subordinate over to us," Kolmar replied.

"Once we reconvene we can split them up. I can take Lee to their ship and see to its refueling, while you set Harriman up on a workstation to look at the plans for a fusion reactor. You will then lay out our offer and make him an offer he can't refuse," Demari said and both began to laugh.

(ooloo)

Precisely two hours after Pradjic had delivered Nelson and Crane to FS-1, it returned and tapped lightly on the craft. Lee responded by opening the hatch and regarded the Odejaian for a moment waiting for it to speak. It remained mute but motioned to the door across the chamber.

"I guess it's time for us to reconvene," Lee said to Nelson as he tossed his cup into the trash bag.

Pradjic turned and began moving towards the chamber door with Lee and Harri in tow. "Not the chattiest of guides," Harri noted as they walked behind it.

"They said that their servant class was mute. I wonder if Pradjic is of that class?" Lee replied. Pradjic made no effort to respond, even if it comprehended what they had said.

It led them down a series of hallways, again devoid of any other Odejaians and stopped outside a large door. It manipulated a small box on its belt and the door slid open revealing what appeared to be a generator or power plant for the facility.

"Ah, Harriman, Lee, please come in," Kolmar called out. Harri and Lee entered and as they did Pradjic immediately departed. The two men regarded the huge machines that hummed quietly in the room.

"We scanned your vessel and have determined the type of fuel required to power your return to your planet. Demari is charging a number of fuel cells to replenish what you expended in your jump to our world."

"That's most appreciated; we're definitely thankful for your assistance in getting back to our home planet," Nelson replied.

"Think nothing of it, we have more than enough fuel to sufficiently power your small craft," Kolmar responded. "Since you have expressed an interest in our trading area and our technology, I was thinking you could accompany me to our control center while Lee works with Demari to refuel your craft. Would that be satisfactory to you?"

Harri shot a quick look at Lee and received a slight nod of agreement. "Yes Kolmar, that would be more than satisfactory. Lee is quite fussy about his FS-1 and he can assure himself that everything is in order while I satisfy my scientific curiosity." Lee nodded emphatically and smiled.

Kolmar nearly purred at Nelson's agreement to splitting them up. "Excellent. Demari, how are you coming with those fuel rods?"

"I need about 30 minutes more. Why don't you and Harriman head to the control center and I can go over things here with Lee to ensure he is comfortable with the refueling of their vessel," Demari answered as it exited a chamber located on the far side of one of the generators.

"Very good. If you would accompany me Harriman, I will attempt to satisfy your curiosity as best I can."

"Lead the way Kolmar," Nelson responded. "I'll see you in a bit Lee."

"Aye, sir," Lee answered, then turned his attention to Demari who indicated he should accompany it into the chamber. Once inside it showed him the fuel rods it was processing in their reactor. The rods looked to be the appropriate size and shape to fit in FS-1's reactor.

"How many of these will be needed?" Demari inquired.

"We should only need two, FS-1 isn't a large boat," Lee replied.

Demari seemed to nod and struggled to pull one cylinder out of the chamber and put it on the small cart stationed next to it. Lee reached over and easily picked up a second rod and placed it on the cart as well. The Odejaian stared at him for a moment, surprised at how effortlessly he moved the 'heavy' cylinder. This was looking to be a very promising species, it thought to itself. Brute strength was always a highly sought after capability in slave stock.

"Come, we will take these to your ship and you can install them. Once finished with that we can join Kolmar and Harriman in the command center," Demari said.

"Sounds like a plan," Lee responded. "Lead the way."

(ooloo)

Kolmar led Nelson to their control center and triggered a 3-D virtual projection of the galaxy. They moved to the center of the room and Kolmar pointed to a bright purplish planet towards the center. "This is Odeja. This is where we are now." It waved its arms slightly and the image rotated and focused in on the opposite side of the galaxy. "And here is your planet Earth, just over 6,500 light years away," it said as it focused in on a small blue marble of a planet.

Nelson examined the display in earnest; his curiosity more than piqued. Kolmar waved its arm once more and thousands of small points of light grew brighter in the display. "You can now see all the planets and civilizations we trade with or are in contact with. As you can see, we have a wide area of activity."

Harri nodded in agreement with that statement as the lights blanketed a large portion of the display. "That is truly amazing. So every one of those planets has an atmosphere that supports liquid water?"

"Yes."

"That's a surprising number of planets." Harri replied.

"There are many more that our people have visited, but if there aren't resources of interest or potential trading partners, we don't establish contact," Kolmar added.

"Amazing," Harri commented. "Kolmar, I have another question, why are there so few working here in the complex? I would think with the vast trading operation you have described you would need a veritable army to process orders and transport goods. I think we've only seen three of you total."

Kolmar stared at Nelson for a moment and seemed to fidget. "Ah, we have multiple facilities and this one is primarily used for our exploration efforts. As such we require much fewer support staff to keep it operating. Later on I will escort you up to the higher levels so that you may see more of our operations and actually see the surface of our planet."

"I see," Harri replied, not totally buying the reasoning behind the lack of personnel. He got the distinct impression that it was hiding something. Score one for Lee's quiet little voice.

Needing desperately to redirect Nelson's attention, Kolmar shut off the hologram and moved back towards the door. "So Harriman, as a goodwill gesture we would like to make available to you a technology I think would be appropriate for your planet. If you are interested, we would like to give you the plans to a cold fusion reactor."

Harri stared somewhat dumbfounded at the Odejaian offer. That would be a monumental leap forward in human technological development that would go a long way towards eliminating environmental pollution, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and advancing third world resource-poor countries.

"That is an astounding offer. You say you want to give it to us, no strings attached?" Harri finally got out.

"Well _give_ probably isn't the best term to use," Kolmar responded. "We would provide this technology in exchange for your assistance."

"My assistance? What kind of assistance are you interested in me providing?"

"First we would like you to escort us to your planet so that we can surreptitiously explore it to determine if it would be a candidate for contact, and if there are items of interest that could be traded."

"And?"

"If contact and trade are warranted, we would like your assistance in establishing a base somewhere on your planet to conduct our activities, and making introductions to appropriate individuals representing your various tribes," Kolmar added.

"And?" Harri inquired again, as he sensed the real reason for their offer of the technology was still lurking.

"And based on your description of your societies and the interactions between your tribes, we would be interested in collecting some of your species, primarily those you deem to be enemies or less desirable, for use among our other trading partners," Kolmar replied.

"Use? In what way?" Harri asked warily. He felt a sudden sense of dread wash over him as he caught on to the Odejaian's true interest.

"Many ways. Servants, laborers, warriors; your species seems well suited to such tasks."

"You're talking about selling my fellow humans into slavery, aren't you?"

"Basically, yes. I assure you there would be a wide market for your kind. You would become incredibly wealthy for your 'discovery' of the reactor and the subsequent sale of that technology, and we would compensate you handsomely for each shipment of humans we exported," Kolmar replied.

Harri stood there shocked and appalled by Kolmar's proposition. "What makes you think I would willingly aid you in establishing a slave trade on my planet? There's no way in hell I would help you with that regardless of the payment or technological advancements you offer."

The Odejaian seemed to growl in irritation and disappointment. "In all honesty Harriman, we don't have to have your assistance. We have the technology and capabilities to carry this out regardless of your input. The only reason we make this offer is so that you can control to some degree who is selected and who benefits from the items we can offer in trade. As I said, we have no interest in conquering your planet, we only wish to harvest a few of your less desirable beings for trade. With over 7 billion humans on your planet, our activities will probably occur unnoticed."

"Anything else you want from me?" Harri asked coldly.

"Just one more thing. We want Lee Crane."

"What?! What do you want Lee for?"

"Before we can begin our new trading venture, we need to understand the limits and capabilities of the stock. We need Lee to help us define the human physiological and psychological capabilities and limits. We want you to command him to participate in our evaluation."

"Not only no, but HELL NO!" Harri fired back. "I will not serve up my captain for use as your human guinea pig."

"Again Harriman, we really don't need your permission or agreement, we can take him at any time. We can take you as well. We make this offer so only one is used. Since you appear to be fond of Lee, we will sweeten the deal with another technology of your choosing."

Harri's mind began to race. He knew he was in a no-win situation and the only way he could even attempt to rescue them and hope to escape, would be to agree to their proposition and consign Lee to hell until he figured a way out. He had no doubt that they would not hesitate to take him as well, and if he didn't step in and direct their activities, should he not be able to come up with a way to stop them here, they would return to Earth anyway and seek out another trading partner. The thought of them returning and choosing to deal with the People's Republic or one of the other nations in the world with less than stellar human rights practices frightened him. There was no doubt in his mind who they would sell out first.

"If you can take either of us at will, why do you need my permission to take Lee?"

"Let's call it your buy in for this partnership. By providing your subordinate, you seal the deal and become vested in our joint venture," Kolmar answered.

Harri fidgeted uncomfortably. He was truly screwed regardless of his actions. If he chose to take the high road and refuse to abet them in their hideous plan, there would be no opportunity to try and stop them, and both he and Lee would be dead. In agreeing to participate willingly he offered up his son for who knows what type of torture as they determined human capabilities. If he couldn't figure out a way to stop them, he also offered up the human race to intergalactic slavers and if his complicity ever came to light his life wouldn't be worth a damn.

He was damned no matter what course of action he took. After playing through the multiple scenarios given the options presented him, Nelson finally came to an agonizing decision. "I accept your offer," he replied disgustedly. "You leave me no real choice."

"Excellent Harriman. We had both suspected you were the more intelligent being. So you agree to our terms and you give us rights to your captain, Lee Crane?" Kolmar replied, the excitement for once evident in its voice.

"Yes, I accept you as my partners and give you Lee Crane to do with as you want." Harri fought the urge to become physically ill, knowing he may have just condemned Lee to an agonizing death along with possibly millions of others on Earth.

(ooloo)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Lee was pleased to see that the fuel rods provided by the Odejaians fit perfectly into the receptacles on FS-1. He deposited the spent rods back on the cart then moved to the pilot's chair to check out the systems now that power had been restored. He activated each of the systems just as he would for a pre-flight of the craft then hit the button firing up the engines. Everything responded perfectly with optimal readings on each gauge. Once satisfied that his baby was firing on all cylinders, he reversed the sequence and shut her off.

"Outstanding Demari," Lee said as he stepped out and pulled shut the door. "The fuel rods you provided work perfectly and everything is responding as designed. Thank you."

Demari seemed to bow somewhat in acceptance of thanks. "That is good to hear Lee. Is there anything else required to prepare your vessel for your return?"

"Not from a mechanical standpoint," Lee answered and smiled. "As soon as Harri has satisfied his curiosity, we will be ready to get out of your way."

"Well if there is nothing else, then let us go find Kolmar and Harriman. Please follow me." Demari led them out of the chamber and through the maze of hallways. As they walked it received a signal from a device on its belt. It depressed the switch and listened to the party on the other end. It responded a couple of times then signed off.

"That was Kolmar; apparently Harriman is quite intrigued by what he is learning. He was also curious as to how the refueling progressed. I passed on what you had told me and Kolmar will inform Harriman."

Lee smiled. "I'm not surprised. Harri is a genius among our people with an insatiable desire to learn. Left to his own devices we would most likely be here years before his curiosity was sated."

"Come, we are almost to the control center," Demari remarked. They arrived shortly at a closed door and Demari depressed a button on its belt. The door slid open and it indicated that Lee should enter ahead of it.

The room was little more than a white cube with a few lights inset in the ceiling. There was nothing else in the room which confused and somewhat concerned Lee immediately. He turned around to ask Demari what this place was when he spotted the same small device in its hand it had pointed at them when they first arrived.

"What's going on?" Lee inquired.

Demari raised the device. "Disrobe, Lee,"

"I beg your pardon? What do you mean disrobe?"

"Take off all of your outer garments," it replied neutrally.

Lee scowled at the alien. "Like hell I will," he said and moved to exit the room.

Demari depressed the trigger on its device and Lee was immediately enveloped in an energy plasma that caused excruciating pain. Hard as he tried to fight the beam he fell to the floor writhing in pain; a tortured yell eventually ripped free of his lips. After what seemed an eternity the plasma was shut off and he lay there panting, trembling, and drenched in sweat.

"I will ask you one more time, disrobe."

Lee slowly pushed up to his hands and knees, fighting hard to catch his breath and slow his heart before it beat its way out of his chest. After a few minutes he climbed carefully to his feet. As he made a move to leave, Demari raised the weapon again and pointed it at him.

"Do you want another prod to make you comply?"

Lee slowly shook his head. "No," he replied quietly. He kicked off his shoes, then unbuckled his belt, undid the button on the waistband, unzipped his trousers and eased them off. He next removed his necktie and then unbuttoned his shirt and cuffs and removed both, dropping them next to his pants on the floor. Once that was done he stood up clad only in his socks and shorts.

"I said all of your outer coverings. Do it now or I will give more encouragement."

Lee glared at the alien then bent down and pulled off his socks followed by his shorts. All the while he ground his teeth seething in anger. The Odejaian looked him over from head to toe. It touched a button on its belt and a large white slab emerged from the floor behind Lee.

"Stand against the slab," Demari ordered.

"What the hell is going on?!" Lee demanded.

"Stand with your back against the slab or I will activate the weapon once again," Demari answered. "My patience grows short; do it now!"

Lee narrowed his eyes trying to gauge if he had a chance of disarming it but quickly ruled it out. He reluctantly backed up until his body was firmly against the frigid slab. As soon as he touched the surface, restraints emerged from the top and snapped quickly around his wrists, ankles and waist securing him to it.

Once Lee was rendered helpless Demari lowered its weapon and touched another button that caused the slab to rotate horizontally making a table. The Odejaian moved next to the table and began examining Lee in earnest.

"You could at least tell me the meaning of all this," Lee hissed as the alien ran its hands over his body and fondled his genitals as he examined them more closely.

"Interesting, is this what makes you male? Is this your reproductive organ?" Demari inquired. Lee made no effort to reply, both mortified and enraged. It regarded him for a moment. "In answer to your question Lee Crane, we have decided to capture and trade a portion of your population to those in need of servants, laborers and warriors amongst our customers across the galaxy. Before we can move forward with putting humans on the auction block, we must first understand your physiological limits so we know in which conditions you can survive and how sturdy and resilient you are. You will be the one we will use to determine those limits."

"So you're nothing more than a bunch of god damned slavers?" Lee spat out. "What have you done with Harri? He won't let you get away with this scheme of yours!"

"Oh on the contrary Lee, he has decided to partner with us to select those for collection in exchange for certain technological advancements that will make him both extremely powerful and extremely rich on your planet. He will also aid us in finding an appropriate location on your world from which to clandestinely conduct our business," Demari responded.

"That's bullshit! You're lying. Harriman Nelson would no more sell out the people of Earth than I would."

"Apparently you don't know him as well as you think because he has agreed to do just that. In fact, he gave us you as a demonstration of his good faith."

Lee lay there stunned by that response. He shook his head furiously. "You're lying; I don't believe you."

"Here I will show you Lee Crane," Demari answered and depressed a button on its belt.

The ceiling shimmered briefly then resolved into a screen and a video began to play. In the video Nelson and Kolmar were standing in what appeared to be a control center. Demari turned a small dial and the volume increased. " _So you agree to our terms and you give us rights to your captain, Lee Crane?"_ Kolmar said _. "Yes, I accept you as my partners and give you Lee Crane to do with as you want._ " Harri responded.

Lee examined the screen closely, scrutinizing the admiral's face for any hints of unwillingness or duress. He felt as though he'd been stabbed through the heart and left there to bleed out alone. Wave after wave of despair crashed over him as he mentally replayed the scene he had just witnessed. How could he have read Nelson so wrong? He just couldn't picture him trading humans for prestige and financial gain, or even to just save himself. He prayed with all his might that Harri was somehow playing for time in hopes of finding a way to derail the Odejaian plans for their planet.

(ooloo)

"Come Harriman, let me set you up in a chamber with access to a computer portal so you may view the technologies we have to offer. As I said we will give you the plans for a cold fusion reactor and you may select one other for your gift of Lee Crane," Kolmar said as it began to move towards the door.

Harri sighed deeply, closed his eyes and ran a hand across the back of his neck. He mentally reminded himself that this was the only way he could possibly save Lee and the people of Earth from exploitation by these animals. He nodded his head and began to follow.

Kolmar lead him down yet another nondescript hallway. As they walked a blood curdling and anguished scream escaped from one of the rooms they passed. Harri froze at the sound fearing he knew all too well the source. "What was that?" he inquired.

Kolmar turned back towards Nelson, canted its head to one side and listened to the next gut wrenching yell. "My guess would be that Demari has begun its examination of Lee Crane," it replied matter-of-factly.

Harri paled instantly and felt his knees go weak as he thought of the pain that Lee had to be experiencing to cry out so. Lee had considerable training in pain management courtesy of ONI but that could only compensate up to a point. "May…may I see him, one last time?" Harri asked in a shaky voice.

"If you wish. Come, I'm sure he would appreciate the break," Kolmar replied with what sounded like a laugh. It proceeded to the door, flipped a switch on its belt and the door slid open.

Harri again fought off the urge to become physically ill at the sight before him. Lee was layed out naked and defenseless, strapped to a table, completely covered in sweat, hyperventilating and trembling uncontrollably from the treatment he had received. Notably absent was any physical sign of the abuse he had endured. As they entered Demari lowered the device in its hand and regarded the two.

"How is it going?" Kolmar queried as it moved to the table to more closely examine Lee. It too seemed to fixate on the genitals laying limply against Lee's leg.

"Exceedingly well," Demari replied. "He is proving to be a most surprising subject. His tolerances for pain and other physical stressors thus far are incredibly high. If this holds true for the rest of the population, we will all become incredibly rich in a very short time."

Demari manipulated the translator on his belt. " _Why did you bring him in here?_ "

" _He wanted to see his servant one last time. His degree of concern and attachment to this one has surprised me. I'm wondering if that is indicative of the entire species. If that is the case it could become problematic down the road_ ," Kolmar answered.

" _My guess is he is fond of him like a pet at most._ "

As the two Odejaians conversed Harri eased his way closer to the table on which Lee was strapped. He was on the verge of tears, furious at the aliens and his own inability to save his son and captain from this situation. As he looked down upon him, Lee opened his eyes at the sound of Harri's foot scraping against the floor.

"Lee," Harri said softly.

Lee looked up at him and blinked as he tried to clear his vision and regain a grip on what was happening around him. As his vision focused and he made out Harri's face, an expression of hatred and rage warped his normally handsome features.

"Nelson, you son of a bitch!" Lee yelled out hoarsely, his voice strained and raspy from his nearly constant screams. He struggled hard against the restraints. "You better pray to hell I don't get free because I will end you, old man!"

Harri backed away unnerved by Lee's response. He had not seen such rage and hatred from the younger man since they had been on the PR island and he had ingested the hate drug that had been introduced into the island's fresh water supply.

"How the hell could you sell out our people, and for what?! Money?! Power?! Don't you have enough of that already?! I imagine Seamus is bursting with pride now that you've resumed the family business of peddling human flesh. I never pictured you as a being a slaver, but I suppose all it took was the right price," he spat.

"Lee, please, I had no choice," Harri offered lamely. He blanched and swallowed convulsively a couple of times. Lee's accusation stabbed him through the heart and he felt his knees begin to tremble. How could he believe that he would willingly sell him out?

"Oh you had all kinds of choices, you miserable bastard," Lee choked out. "I saw the video, I saw you agree to become their partner, and I heard you offer me up to seal the deal! If only they could see back home what kind of humanitarian, you really are. I've been such a fool; I can't believe I bought that line of crap you fed me that you thought of me as a son. Get the hell away from me or so help me I will kill you the minute I'm loose!" Lee continued nearly sobbing now.

Demari and Kolmar watched the exchange between the two with great interest. Seeing the unsettling effect it was having on their partner, Demari raised its device and pressed the trigger engulfing Lee in wave of agonizing energy. He arched his body up off the table as best he could and screamed.

Harri shrunk back away from the table. "Stop it! God, please stop it!"

Demari seemingly shrugged then released the trigger and Lee went limp rendered unconscious from this latest attack. Harri on the other hand begun to tremble badly and made his way quickly to the door and left the room; the image of his son lying naked and afraid on a cold slab, in that torture chamber was burned indelibly in his brain. He stood outside the door trying desperately to compose himself and shore up his weak knees and battered conscience.

(ooloo)

Kolmar exited the room a few minutes later and joined Nelson outside the room. "I apologize for that Harriman; I should have never let you see him. It can be quite disconcerting; I've seen these types of reactions a hundred times before. Come, we will get you settled in your chamber and you can begin your selection of your reward," Kolmar said.

Harri continued to breathe deeply as he fought wave after wave of nausea. As he steadied his nerves and reestablished his control he nodded to his _partner_. He ground his teeth in anger as he steadied his resolve to get both Lee and Earth out of these creature's sights. "Thank you Kolmar, I would appreciate the opportunity to sit down for a few minutes."

"Of course, please follow me," Kolmar replied. "So who is this Seamus that he refers to?"

Nelson shot it a fearsome glare as he fought the urge to attack the thing. Reining in his emotions, he managed a semi-civilized response. "An ancestor of mine. A great, great, great, great grandfather."

"Is what Lee said true? That he dealt in the sale of humans?"

"Yes, it's true. I only discovered the truth a few months ago, that he actually was master of a slave ship that ran between Africa and North America. It turns out that the original basis for my family's fortune was the slave trade," Harri answered.

"Interesting. I find it odd that you were so opposed to what we proposed given your personal history," Kolmar commented, thinking Harriman the consummate hypocrite.

"Slavery was abolished in my country and the majority of the other nations on my planet over a century ago. It's not something I'm proud of and only grudgingly agreed to partner with you on this to save my countrymen from destruction," Harri nearly spat. Kolmar was slightly taken aback by his response having no difficulty reading the hostility radiating from its new partner. It knew their new partner would bear careful scrutiny to ensure he didn't suddenly turn on them should the opportunity arise.

They continued down the hall another 50 yards in silence until they came to a door. As they approached, the door automatically slid open revealing a small chamber that contained what appeared to be a computer terminal, a small table and chair, and a bed on the far wall.

"This will be your chamber while you remain here with us. You have complete access to our computer system and can conduct your search for appropriate technologies as you feel up to it. There on the far wall is a food dispenser. Merely tell the unit what type of refreshment you desire and it will provide you with items compatible with your life form."

Harri nodded as he looked around the room. "Thank you Kolmar, this is more than sufficient for my needs. What if I need to get in contact with you? How do we get in touch?"

Kolmar pulled a small box off its belt and handed it to Harri. "Here this can be used to contact either Demari or myself, just call out the name of the individual with whom you wish to speak. It will also grant you access to other rooms within the complex. If you choose, you may even go back to your vessel. Is there anything else?"

"No this is more than enough. I think I'll rest for a few minutes then begin my research on your system," Harri replied.

"Very well Harriman. I'll leave you to your rest and your research. I'll contact you later so that we can sup together," Kolmar replied as it turned and exited the room.

Once Kolmar had gone, Harri collapsed in the chair. He crammed shut his eyes and began rocking back and forth slowly; the sounds and images of his son echoing endlessly in his mind. "I'm so sorry Lee. I will fix this I swear," he said softly as tears spilled from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.

(ooloo)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Kolmar returned to the interrogation chamber to find Demari taking readings from the still unconscious man. "How is he?" it inquired.

"All things considered amazingly well. He has withstood nearly the highest levels of pain I can induce without killing him. He quite obviously is still coherent which speaks to his mental capacity and his system's ability to handle the electrical charges without damaging the brain. As I said earlier, I think we hit the jackpot. If the rest of his organs prove to be as resilient as his nervous system, we can send these humans virtually anywhere," Demari replied as it resumed its scan. "Where's Harriman?"

"I've left him in a rest chamber to recover from his encounter with Lee and to identify which technology he wants in return for his captain. He was quite unnerved by their exchange; I don't think he really expected that kind of response."

"Interesting. Lee's words pose a very unique opportunity. He promised to terminate Harriman if he ever got free. I would definitely like to see what kind of warrior he truly is. He is an excellent physical specimen and I suspect that he has received extensive training in combat."

"What of Harriman? Would you allow him to kill his former owner? I would definitely limit how much damage he inflicts on him, we do need him to establish our base and coordinate our collection of humans," Kolmar answered.

"Yes, I agree whole heartedly, we need to prevent him from actually killing Harriman, but I want to see what an enraged human is capable of doing as well. I will continue my evaluation of him and begin stressing the other organs of his body and then test his reactions to adverse environmental conditions. I also need to investigate their reproductive processes and cycle; though with only a male that will greatly limit how much I can do."

"I'm sure Harriman will gladly explain the reproductive cycle and provide information on the offspring produced. That should speed up your research a good deal. I suspect it is probably a lengthy process from conception through birth, and that may necessitate we offer them as mating pairs."

"That sounds a most likely scenario, based on some of the other races we've encountered. Yes, Harriman's input will greatly accelerate my research. According to Lee he is considered intellectually advanced on their planet, so we have an excellent source of information. The only thing that would have made their arrival any better would have been the addition of a female of their species. But I don't suppose you can have everything," Demari replied and then both laughed. It moved back to the table and ran its scanner over Lee's body again. "Once I've completed most of my tests, we can maneuver Harriman into the chamber and 'accidentally' release Lee. I will of course temper his response should it become too physical," Demari replied.

"What of their ship, is it ready for transport back to their planet?"

"Yes, Lee replaced the fuel rods and ran several tests and diagnostics verifying it was fully functional and ready for use. He seemed quite pleased with how our rods worked within their reactor."

"Excellent. We can use that to transport us all to their planet and scout locations for our new base. How much longer do you think your tests will take?"

"Three to four days at the most. I want to really take my time to fully understand them as a race since I think they will become our most important cash crop," Demari answered and then laughed.

"Well then I'll leave you to your work and will begin contacting our customers letting them know we will have a new product for them to purchase shortly." Kolmar laughed and exited the chamber to begin its notifications.

Unobserved by the Odejaians, a single tear slid down the side of Lee's temple.

(ooloo)

It had been several hours since Harri had been left in the room. He was now composed, his resolve set on getting Lee out of this hell hole and preventing the aliens from exploiting Earth as a source of slaves. He had settled in at the computer station and began his search for a way out in earnest. They had enabled the system to somehow translate the information it contained into a form that he could access. He conducted a cursory review of the cold fusion technology they had promised, to appear as though he was interested only in the gains he could make from their bargain, in case they were monitoring his activity.

He conducted a search of their database and as expected found numerous examples of advanced weapons technology that any of the nations on Earth would gladly sell out their own people to possess. As he worked his way around their system he found that he was able to escape the database and get into the base programming of their computer system. He quickly located information on the planets they traded with, those they only exploited for their people or natural resources, and the coordinates for each of those planets.

He was astounded at the fact that he could move so easily about with minimal effort. It occurred to him that they may have escaped the nasty habit humans had developed of attacking and raiding computer systems for information or the process of infecting them with some insidious virus to corrupt and destroy a system. As he examined that idea, a means of attack dawned on him and he smiled deviously.

Harri continued to dig, looking for information on their transport system and how to operate it. If he was going to get them out of there he needed to understand that at the very least. As he located the file and was about to open it, there was a sound at his door and moments later it slid open and the servant entered.

Harri quickly clicked off the screen and then acknowledged the Odejaian. "Pradjic, isn't it? Is there something you want?"

The smaller version of their captors remained motionless and just stared at Nelson. He found the whole thing annoying and not a little disconcerting. They had said that their servant class was mute so he wondered how it intended to communicate or if it was just sent in to monitor his activities.

"Is my presence requested somewhere?" Nelson said, trying to discern why the servant was here.

After a moment Pradjic moved closer to Nelson, then extended an arm and activated a small device on its belt. It continued to regard the human closely, apparently looking for some sign, and having found it, it spoke. "Harriman Nelson," Pradjic said quietly, "please excuse the interruption."

"So you can speak," Harri answered. "What is it you need?"

"I have been watching you closely and have come to the conclusion that you are obviously opposed to what Kolmar and Demari propose to do with your fellow humans. That given any other choice but saving your planet, you would not have sold Lee Crane at any price. That they have forced you into complicity very much against your will. Is that a correct observation on my part?" Pradjic continued.

Harri stared intently at Pradjic considering his response. There was something about the way it was approaching him that he suspected it too did not approve of what was going on in this complex. "Yes, your observations and assumptions are correct," Harri replied cautiously.

The smaller Odejaian seemed to nod at having its supposition confirmed. It scanned the room quickly then moved closer to Nelson. "I am taking a great risk in coming to you this way, but I think we have a common purpose, and I am in need of your assistance."

"If that purpose is to rescue Lee, destroy this complex, protect Earth, and make good our escape, then that would be true," Harri responded.

It seemed to think for a moment, then responded. "Our purposes are close enough. I am an agent of my government sent in to verify what Kolmar and Demari are doing, then if in violation of our law destroy their operation and retain them for prosecution for their crimes against the peoples they have exploited. My people and our government do not sanction what they are doing and once rumors of their activities came to our attention my agency devised a plan for me to infiltrate their operation to obtain the proof needed to shut them down."

Nelson stared at Pradjic stunned at what it had just told him. He debated fiercely in his mind whether to believe what it had said or figure it to be a test of his agreement with the others. "You seriously expect me to believe this?" he finally replied.

"I know this must seem highly improbable but I speak the truth. Your unexpected arrival proved not only serendipitous to Kolmar and Demari, but to me as well. For the first time, I was able to record their plans and establish proof of their actions. I have informed my superiors and have been ordered to terminate their operation. I want to allow you to return to your world before I destroy this place, so that you may warn those of your species of what is out here," Pradjic explained.

"And why do you need my help?"

"If you wish to escape, you will need to operate their transport portal and pilot your craft back to your home planet. I can provide you with the instruction, but it is up to you to take care of the rest. While you escape I will be initiating explosive devices planted throughout the complex, and rounding up those complicit with this operation for prosecution. Once that begins this entire complex will be destroyed to prevent anyone from resuming these heinous activities from this site. Is this something you are willing to take on?"

"Yes, most certainly but on one condition; I also need to liberate Lee and bring him along."

"That could prove to be problematic. Demari is not inclined to leave its prize specimen alone. It is much like a youngling with a new toy. While it controls the neural weapon it can all too easily incapacitate any within its field of fire. Is Lee Crane worth risking your return to your planet and safety?"

"Yes!" Harri yelled. Then in a much quieter voice he continued. "I will not leave him here to be tortured, experimented on, and eventually killed. He is extremely important to me, and if it comes down to it, I will sacrifice both of us to save him from that fate."

Pradjic reacted almost as though startled by the strength of the emotion and attachment this human had for the other. "Very well then, we must endeavor to rescue your friend, but realize this action will potentially jeopardize your escape."

"I understand and willingly accept that," Harri affirmed. "So what is it you need from me?"

(ooloo)

Lee's whole world had devolved into two states, pain and excruciating pain. As long as he was able to feign unconsciousness the Odejaian would leave him alone other than poking and prodding at various points on his body. Each time it touched him he had to stifle the urge to shudder in disgust or risk enduring another session of its investigation. He could pinpoint no specific injury but his entire body radiated pain from every fiber.

For the moment he sensed he was alone, and released a soft sigh. He had heard what they had said about giving him the opportunity to attack Nelson, and exact his revenge for being turned over to them. That was now the only thing he concentrated on between sessions, when the pain subsided and he could actually think. He had formed his plan to feign unconsciousness sooner in each session so that he could hopefully save what strength remained for use in that one chance they afforded him. He guessed that Demari would also reduce the stress on his body before he was given the opportunity to prove his skills in combat and that should alert him to the coming encounter. When the time came, he would be ready and hopefully his people would be protected and the guilty would pay.

(ooloo)


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

By Harri's best estimation nearly three days had passed since they had arrived. He had managed to infiltrate the Odejaians computer system and had been laying landmines and viruses all over their network. The more he poked around the more he realized theirs was a standalone system intentionally not networked with whatever other computer systems existed on the planet, for very obvious reasons. He also realized that they had no concept of computer security as employed on Earth; they lacked any real forms of intrusion protection, probably because of a cultural norm or because they had been advanced for so long they no longer considered threats to their cyber systems possible, especially from _lower_ life forms. It made booby trapping their network child's play.

He had interacted sparingly with Kolmar citing his need to fully comprehend the technologies they had provided him. They seemed equally willing to leave him alone as they proceeded with their own tasks and plans. Another reason Harri stayed within his chamber was to avoid the chance of hearing Demari's work on Lee. It was cowardly and reprehensible but he couldn't stand to hear his son's agonized screams that forced their way through the interrogation chamber walls.

The few forays he had made were to FS-1 ensuring that everything was primed and ready for immediate action once he was given the word. In preparation he had moved all the first aid kits and medical supplies to the cabinet nearest the bunk for ready use once he got Lee safely on board.

He had spent the remainder of his time memorizing the steps necessary to initiate and engage transport through the wormhole back to Earth. They would get only one shot at making it through and he intended for them to succeed. He owed that to Lee, at the very least.

As he finished coding in the last of the program commands to erase and reformat their captor's computer there was a noise at the door and Pradjic entered. "Pardon the interruption Harriman," it started. "I wanted to check on how your work is progressing."

"Hello Pradjic. I'm all but finished. I just need to add a couple more commands and I will be ready to carry out my assignments as soon as you give me the word," Harri replied.

"That is good, as I think your captain is nearing the end. Demari has been curtailing its investigations more each time as Lee Crane loses consciousness at a much quicker rate as he weakens from their treatment of him. I think Demari has learned almost all it can from him and will soon make its final determination on the limit of his mortality," Pradjic responded.

Harri paled immediately at its words, dropped his head and uttered a number of foul epithets regarding Lee's tormentors. After a few moments he looked up at the Odejaian. "Have you any idea when it will carry out that last test?"

"I have not heard them speak of it specifically, but I would gather it will be sooner rather than later. They speak of a least one more test that both you and he will participate in to gauge some aspect of his training or capabilities. I didn't hear all of their discussion but I think it will be within the next few hours."

Nelson nodded and swallowed hard. "Are all your preparations complete?" he asked.

"Yes. I have planted all my explosive charges, set my retention traps, and I am ready to proceed at any point. I think we should plan on activating our mission when they insist that you join Demari in the interrogation chamber. Leave the communication device active so I may hear all your interactions, and once they escort you into the chamber I will come and assist you in freeing Lee Crane."

Harri nodded and gave Pradjic a weak smile. "I can't begin to thank you for helping us escape. There's no way I could pull this off by myself, regardless of how well I understood the technology involved. Thank you, Pradjic, from both of us. It may interest you to know that Lee carries out missions similar to yours for our government, to likewise prevent the exploitation of the powerless on our planet. When this is over I know he will appreciate the risks you've taken and all the assistance you've provided to ensure our escape."

The Odejaian bowed deeply in acknowledgement of the gratitude. "It is my honor. Neither you nor any of the races exploited by these criminals deserve the treatment you have received. We strike a blow for all of the oppressed races they have used. I also thank you for your assistance, your work on the computer is beyond me and we have never envisioned attacks such as you have planned. This too will prove a valuable weapon in fighting this type of crime. No one will be able to reclaim their information and take up where they left off."

As they quickly went over the details of their plan, Harri completed the last of his coding as he typed in the final command to initiate his cyber assault. He was then paged by Kolmar.

"Nelson, here."

"Harriman, I was wondering if you would be available to interpret something your minion, I mean captain, has said. Our analyzer has been unable to provide a satisfactory translation," Kolmar said.

"What was it he said?" Harri asked.

"According to our translator it had something to do with the male offspring of a female canine applying a vacuum to male poultry. We have no idea what his remark means."

Harri let loose the first real smile since his arrival on this planet and chuckled quietly. He took great pride in his son being defiant and impudent to the bitter end. "I'm not sure what he means," he lied. "I will need to come down and hear him say it, if you don't have the exact words."

Kolmar practically purred. "That would be most appreciated Harriman. I know how difficult it is for you seeing your servant in this situation, but your willingness to help will advance our venture immeasurably."

"Of course, I'm happy to assist. I will be there shortly," Harri replied and signed off. He looked at Pradjic and let loose a deep sigh. "Well it seems you're right." Harri turned back to the terminal and uploaded his program. "There, everything is set to go, all I need to do is hit this button and their data will be erased and their entire system reformatted so there's no opportunity to restore it unless they have backed up their files elsewhere."

"I have no knowledge of that, but I think attacking them here will severely impact any part of their organization that escapes the complex," Pradjic answered.

"So are we ready to roll?"

"Proceed whenever you are ready. Once you have started your program, I will activate my devices and the countdown will begin. We will have approximately one hour before the first of the charges detonates and begins sealing the lower reaches of this complex. You need to have initiated the transport cycle and be in your ship before then or you will be trapped."

Harri nodded. "I understand." He poised his finger over the input device and looked at Pradjic, then depressed the button lighting the fuse on his cyber bombs. "There's no turning back now," he said.

Pradjic bowed slightly then depressed a button on one of the devices on its belt initiating the countdown sequence for the destruction of the complex. "You best be on your way. I will be there as soon as I have notified my team to initiate the raid."

(ooloo)

Harri made his way reluctantly down the hallway to the interrogation chamber, apprehensive about the state of his captain. Upon entering the room his eyes were immediately fixed on the man lying motionless on the table. He could see no outward signs of the torture he had endured, but he knew none the less it had been horrific and unrelenting.

"Ahh Harriman, you are just in time. Demari has indicated Lee should begin waking shortly and we can have him repeat his phrase for you," Kolmar said. As he spoke, Demari surreptitiously depressed a button on the table control unit releasing Lee's restraints.

Nelson tore his gaze away from Lee and focused on the two Odejaians. "Fine, whatever I can do to help," he answered distractedly.

"So Harriman, are you finding the data on your selected technologies sufficient? We want you to be completely happy with what you are receiving. Happy partners make for smooth transactions and bigger profits," Kolmar said, trying to keep Harri's attention fixed on them instead of the man on the table. They wanted to give Lee sufficient time to realize he was free so that he could act on his promised vengeance against Harri.

While they conversed Demari kept shooting quick glances at its subject on the table. It had noticed the signs of his waking and eagerly anticipated the moment the man realized he was free of his bonds.

Kolmar was keeping the conversation going by reporting the responses from customers it had already contacted and the orders that had been placed, sight unseen. Harri fought hard to hide his repugnance at the obvious glee with which it reported the desire for their new product. As it nattered on the lights suddenly dimmed and alarms started to sound.

(ooloo)

Lee laid as still as he could fully aware of who was now in the room and that the restraints had been released. As their conversation went on, he began acting as though he was coming around shifting slightly. He was in fact stretching his muscles and preparing for action as best he could, given his present condition.

Feeling the best he suspected he would ever feel, he slowly began to sit up. He knew the Odejaians were intentionally ignoring him along with keeping Harri's attention focused on them. Lee carefully swung his legs over the side of the table and gradually lowered his feet to the floor. He had to stop momentarily as the room swirled violently before him. He sucked in several deep breaths then slowly increased the weight on his legs, hoping to be able to stand upright without his knees buckling.

Now fully upright and on his own two feet, he prepared to carry out his planned attack. He slowly crouched down into a three-point stance like a football lineman, and was relieved to feel his legs respond as his muscles contracted, poised for an explosive drive towards his objective. As he prepared to launch, the lights dimmed and alarms began to sound further drawing the attention of the other occupants in the room away from him.

Taking that as his golden opportunity, he pushed off the floor with all his might, fueled only by adrenalin, hatred and rage. The Odejaian's attention was caught by the sudden motion and watched expectantly for the coming conflict as Lee hurtled across the room aiming for Nelson. They seemed stunned by the speed at which he moved as his long legs ate up the distance between them. At the very last second Lee veered to the side and rammed into Demari at full speed. His momentum carried them both across the room where they slammed into the wall.

They hit with such force that Demari's outer membrane ruptured as did a number of its internal organs, killing the Odejaian instantly. It slid limply down the wall leaving a blue green streak of protoplasm and ooze along the wall. Lee managed to nearly knock himself out from the impact as he went headlong into the wall and he too slid to the floor now covered in the bodily fluids of his tormentor.

Kolmar stood there immobilized in absolute shock at the sudden attack on and demise of its partner. Harri sprang immediately into action trying to pull Lee away from the dead Odejaian and up on his feet so that they could make good their escape. As he tugged on his arm, Kolmar regained its senses and grabbed its neural weapon, aimed at the two men and activated it.

Lee arched in pain as he writhed like an eel on the deck. Blood began flowing from his ears and nose as the full power of the weapon was focused on his body. Harri also dropped to the ground and began to writhe in agony as he too was caught in the sweep of the beam. He had never felt such pain in his life and found himself wishing for death to end the suffering.

Just as he felt that he could stand no more, the pain suddenly stopped. Harri curled instantly into the fetal position, eyes crammed shut as he trembled violently, his muscles rebelling against the treatment they had just received. He fought hard to control his runaway breathing and heartbeat as he felt fat cold drops of sweat running down his back and drool spilling out of his mouth and pooling on the floor next to him.

After a moment as he gained more control over his body, he wiped the saliva from the side of his mouth and pushed cautiously up to a seated position. He rapidly scanned the room looking for Kolmar and found it sprawled lifelessly on the floor next to its partner, a dark singed and blistered spot in the center of its chest. He looked quickly towards the door and spotted Pradjic standing there holding another neural weapon. A wave of relief washed over him as he acknowledged its presence and its assistance in taking out Kolmar.

He then frantically looked around for Lee and located him sprawled unconscious on the floor next to him, blood dripping from his ears, nose and mouth. He cautiously reached over to check for the pulse he feared he wouldn't find. Placing his fingers gently against his carotid artery he was rewarded with a faint but steady beat. He sighed in relief and thanked the powers that be that always seemed to look out for the younger man.

"You need to go now Harriman, the sequence has started and you have 48 minutes in which to exit this complex."

"Thank you Pradjic, for everything," Harri replied.

Pradjic bowed slightly. "You are welcome, and I thank you as well for your assistance. Your diversion with the computers has helped to confuse and distract the others of the company and we have been able to take control easily." It regarded the unconscious man on the floor then reached into a small pouch on its belt and removed something. It moved over to Harri and handed him a small cylinder that looked similar to an epinephrine pen.

"What's this?" Harri asked as he accepted the item.

"It may be of use if Lee Crane is injured beyond your ability to heal him. Since it was developed for my people, I would use it only as a last resort. Now, please hurry, you have little time," it replied then exited the room to carry out the rest of its tasks before the complex was destroyed.

Harri slipped the small cylinder into his pocket and returned his attention to Lee. He patted his face gently trying to rouse the injured man but wasn't surprised when he couldn't bring him around. He pushed himself up to his feet and carefully stood there trying to regain control of his arms and legs following the assault. After a couple of minutes, he shook out his appendages, gritting his teeth at the pain of the returning feeling. Once certain that he wouldn't collapse, he reached down and pulled Lee up over his shoulder into a fireman's carry and began making his way down to the transport chamber and hopefully home.

(ooloo)


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Harri moved as quickly as he could with Lee draped lifelessly over his shoulders. The corridors were empty as usual but with the wail of the alarms and dimmed lights they had taken on an eerie and foreboding atmosphere. Making his way towards the transport chamber there was a sudden explosion that sent him sprawling to the floor with his precious cargo. A portion of the ceiling collapsed on top of them pinning them to the floor.

Stunned by the unexpected explosion, Harri slowly worked his legs free of the debris and carefully pulled himself out picking up a number of cuts and scrapes from the material. Once up and on his feet, he quickly checked on Lee and was relieved to find him still alive. He rapidly dug him out and then struggled to pull him back onto his shoulders. With his load set, he continued his dash to the chamber staggering under the weight of his passenger and the effects of the blast.

As he hurried along he wondered whether one of Pradjic's charges had gone off early or if Kolmar and Demari had somehow rigged their facility to self-destruct if they were discovered. Fearing the latter, Harri doubled his effort and his pace, nearly running down the corridor ahead of him.

As soon as he reached the chamber he went immediately to FS-1 and deposited Lee gently on the bunk. Next he exited the small sub and ran back through the main chamber door to a small room located at the end of the blind hallway. He manipulated the device Pradjic had given him and the door slid open revealing the control room for the wormhole generator. He rapidly powered up the systems and logged in the coordinates for Earth. A quick look at his watch showed he had less than 15 minutes to get back, power up FS-1 and be ready for the transport process. He set the countdown timer and ran as fast as he could back to his boat.

Harri quickly secured the aft hatch, sat down in the pilot's chair and then began to rapidly activate FS-1's systems. As he hit the last switch powering up the engines, he looked down at his watch and saw he had 8 minutes before everything activated. He immediately pushed up from his chair and walked to the cabinet with the first aid supplies and pulled out some gauze and a bottle of water. He soaked the gauze with water and wiped the evidence of the dead Odejaian off his captain. He carefully wiped the blood from his face and ears and then cupped his face with his hand as he looked at the man he had come to think of as his son. Not the wisest use of his time but he just couldn't bear to see the evidence of that thing splashed across his body. He then gently draped a blanket over him and secured him in the bunk.

That done he returned to his seat and prepared for their launch. As he double checked the gauges and switches, the metal rods in the chamber began to glow bright blue as energy was fed into them. The floor beneath them began to shimmer and slowly seemed to become translucent. There was a bright flash and it suddenly felt as though FS-1 was riding atop water as she seemed to bob lightly up and down.

The next thing Harri knew, there was a thunderous roar and it felt as though a dam had broken and the tiny craft was caught up in the chaotic rush of water as it escaped the barrier holding it back. They began to spin and pitch violently as the craft was once again bathed in a bright flash of light and sucked down into the abyss that opened below FS-1.

(ooloo)

They were once again caught up in the maelstrom of bubbles and turbulence as they hurtled through the wormhole and made their way to wherever the structure took them. Harri privately prayed that the new destination would be closer to civilization than their departure point; he needed to get Lee into medical hands as quickly as possible.

Sensing the ebb in the surge of transport, Nelson applied full power to the engines as Pradjic instructed. Systems on FS-1 immediately answered the call for power, adjusted to the conditions on Earth and began feeding information on the boat's orientation and external conditions to the various systems aboard. Latching onto which way was up, he directed the boat into a steep climb and shot to the surface and into the air as fast as the little craft could manage.

Once aloft he rapidly began to establish their location on the planet. As he continued to climb, he hazarded a look at the ground below and realized that they had somehow come in through a sink hole in a heavily forested region of the planet. The water feature seemed vaguely familiar and he was certain he had dived the location at some point in the past.

The GPS aboard finally pinpointed their location over Mexico, near Tullum on the Yucatan Peninsula. Memory of their exit point suddenly flashed to mind, they had passed back into Earth through the Cenote Angelita, a large sinkhole in the Mexican jungle. The water feature had long been revered by the Maya as a passageway between their world, the afterlife, and the world of the gods. At this moment, Harri had little doubt that their belief was very close to the truth.

Levelling off, he set a course for Santa Barbara and flipped on the radio. "FS-1 to NIMR Control, do you read me? Repeat, FS-1 to NIMR Control, come in NIMR Control."

"NIMR Control, we read you FS-1. Admiral, are you all right? Where are you? We've been searching for you for nearly a week."

"NIMR Control I'm currently over the Yucatan Peninsula and on course to Santa Barbara. Put me through to Commander Morton," Nelson replied.

"Copy that FS-1. Welcome back sir. Please hold."

Harri let out a huge sigh of relief, they truly were back to their designated time and place. As he waited for Chip to come on the radio, he made the adjustments to go supersonic so he could get Lee into Jamie's hands as soon as possible.

"FS-1 this is Morton. Admiral are you and Lee okay? Where have you been?" Chip said, the relief at their return more than evident in his voice.

"There's too much to explain right now Chip. I'm over eastern Mexico right now and I'm preparing to go supersonic shortly. Have Jamie at our dock to meet us as soon as we land. Lee's in bad shape and needs immediate treatment," Harri responded.

"Copy that FS-1. Do you have an ETA?" Chip inquired, the relief in his voice now replaced by deep concern.

"ETA 53 minutes. I'm going supersonic now. See you soon Chip. FS-1 out." Nelson signed off and then stole a quick look at the still form laying on the bunk. "Hang on son, we're almost home." He then hit the thrusters and FS-1 shot through the sound barrier on her way to delivering her creators back home where they belonged.

(ooloo)

NIMR became a flurry of activity as Chip notified personnel of the impending arrival of FS-1. The relief he felt at finally being in contact with the admiral was almost overshadowed by his dire report on Lee's condition.

"Do you have any idea what's wrong with Lee?" Jamie inquired as he joined Chip at the dock.

"None whatsoever. The admiral only reported that he was in bad shape and needed immediate treatment. Not a lot to go on, but I see you're prepared for the worst." Chip answered as he regarded the ambulance, multiple corpsmen, and medical equipment and supplies already staged ready for use as soon as the hatch was opened.

"After how many years dealing with the man? If I've learned anything, it's to be prepared for what I least expect," Jamie replied with a snort. Chip gave him a quick smile in response.

They suddenly spotted FS-1 as she roared overhead and then made a sweeping turn landing gently on the ocean surface. The crew on the dock was immediately alert and ready to jump into action. The little yellow sub motored up to the dock and as her engines were shut down, she was firmly lashed to the moorings and the short gangplank secured in place.

Chip and Jamie rushed forward waiting anxiously for the crew to get the hatch open so they could greet their missing friends. As the hatch was pulled open, Harri stepped out, the remnants of their run-in with the Ojedaians obvious on his face and arms. Spying his friends, a relieved smile briefly spread across his face as he grasped Chip's outstretched hand like a drowning man grabbing a life preserver.

"Welcome home sir," Chip said as he pulled the man gently onto the dock. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Chip; it's Lee that needs attention," he said as he stepped aside to allow Jamie and his corpsmen to enter the craft. Jamie patted him quickly on the shoulder then entered.

Lee lay unconscious on the bunk still covered in a blanket. Jamie pulled back the blanket expecting to find a mess of wounds and bruises but was startled to find the man lying naked and unresponsive on the bunk, yet unmarked by whatever had him in such dire straits. He picked up Lee's wrist and began his evaluation of his patient.

He found a weak and irregular pulse accompanied by shallow and erratic respiration. He next checked his eyes finding his pupils dilated and nearly unresponsive. He ran his hands gently over his head looking for any signs of trauma and found only a small lump on the side. He noticed the remnants of blood in his ears and around his nose and an odd bluish goo in his hair and on parts of his body. He quickly prodded his abdomen and felt a tautness that most likely indicated internal bleeding. Through it all Lee remained unconscious and unresponsive during the examination.

"Frank, Thomas, get him on O2, start a drip of Ringers lactate, with D5W T.K.O and get him prepped for immediate transport to the Med Bay," Jamie ordered. He then rose and exited the sub so that he could check out the admiral.

"Aye sir," Frank acknowledged as he slipped the oxygen mask over the captain's face, while Thomas pulled out the items necessary to initiate the drip.

(ooloo)

"How is he Jamie?" Nelson asked urgently.

"Given my preliminary examination, he's not good. There are problems with his heart and lungs, signs of internal bleeding, and possible brain injury. They're preparing him for transport now; once I get him into Med Bay I can find out more," Jamie replied. "Can you tell me what happened to him?"

"He was tortured by our captors, some sort of energy beam technology. Their intent was to determine the physical limits of the human body," Harri nearly spat out.

"To what end?" inquired Jamie. "Wait a minute, what do you mean limits of the _human_ body?" Both Jamie and Chip fixed their eyes on Nelson as they locked onto his description of Lee's treatment.

"We somehow stumbled through a wormhole opened by an alien civilization some 6,500 light years from here. I'll explain more later but you need to get Lee back to Med Bay and take care of him. He is your one and only priority, Jamie," Harri ordered as he watched Lee's motionless body carried from FS-1. His face paled and he swayed visibly as Lee was carried past them.

"How are you doing, Admiral?" Jamie inquired as he grasped Nelson's arm in support and began eyeing his boss and friend looking for indications of injury.

"I'm fine Jamie, just tired," Harri replied and released a deep sigh. "I need to get back to my office and contact the President, SECDEF and CNO. They need to be aware of what we encountered. I think we sabotaged them enough to prevent a return to this planet but one never knows."

"Are you sure you're up to that, sir?" Chip inquired. The man before him looked completely spent and ready to go down himself. "Why don't we go to Med Bay instead and you can make the calls from there?"

Nelson's face began to redden as he prepared to go off, upset at being questioned, but the logic of his XO's suggestion took hold and shook him from the tantrum. He was more tired than he could ever recall being, plus he would be that much closer to Lee. He released another deep sigh. "Good suggestion Chip; make it happen. Come on gentlemen let's get to Med Bay."

(ooloo)


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Once back in Med Bay, Will jumped into action more thoroughly evaluating Lee's condition. In the course of his examination he discovered that Lee's kidneys were severely damaged and had stopped working, and his liver was on verge of failure as well. He was badly dehydrated and in need of nourishment. His pupils remained nearly non-reactive and the EEG showed minimal brain activity. He also was bleeding internally and required immediate surgery. Once he opened the man up he found tears to both his liver and spleen and worked feverously to repair the damage.

Having completed the emergency surgery, he placed Lee on a ventilator to aid his compromised lungs and to relieve his body of the strain of breathing. He also initiated dialysis to cleanse his body of the toxins and wastes it was no longer capable of processing, and attached every monitor he had at his disposal. As he turned on the last machine, he disgustedly ran his hand over his head removing the surgical cap and threw it viciously at the hamper. There was little more he could do for the man and desperately needed some answers as to how he had come to such a precarious state.

While he took care of Lee, one of the other physicians saw to the admiral giving him a general examination and tending to the minor cuts to his face and arms. Will wearily entered Harri's suite to check on the man himself. He spotted Chip standing opposite the door next to Harri's bed, and as he entered he heard parts of the conversation Nelson was having with the President and senior military staff. He turned to leave but was waved in by Nelson.

"Yes sir, I think that Commander Crane and I were able to destroy their current capability to access the wormhole generator and I managed to plant a virus in their computer system that should erase all data related to our planet so they would be guessing at the coordinates. We had joined up with an agent from an Odejaian intelligence agency sent in to shut down their operation and it assisted us in making our way to freedom and initiated the explosion that took out the complex," Nelson explained.

"Commander Crane is not good; our CMO had to take him into emergency surgery upon our return and I have yet to get a briefing on his condition. He should be commended for his efforts to derail the aliens' activities. Despite severe torture he was able to take out one of our captors and give us the time needed to make it back to our ship…Yes Mr. President, I'll update you on his condition once I have the details…I am for the most part uninjured but I'm exhausted; it was a very tense situation once their intent was made clear…Yes sir, I'll get the rest I need and will be in touch. Thank you, sir. Goodbye."

While Nelson was on the phone, Jamie reviewed his chart and updated himself on Harri's condition. In comparison to Lee he was practically unscathed but was bordering on exhaustion. "Well I hope you're going to adhere to your promise to the President and rest," Jamie remarked.

"In all honesty Will, I don't think I'll have much of a choice. I feel like I'm ready to collapse now," Harri responded. "How's Lee?" he inquired apprehensively.

"To quote you, not good. He's got a long haul in front of him to even make it up to critical," Jamie answered. He went on to describe Lee's condition and what measures he had taken to treat the young man.

As Will listed the injuries Lee had sustained, both Chip and Harri paled, but each reported injury seemed to have the added impact of a physical blow for Harri. He looked as though he was going to be ill and began to shake. Will was at his side instantly concerned by his response.

"Harri what's wrong?" Jamie inquired, as he forced the man to lay back and then lowered the head of the bed.

Harri just buried his face in his hands trying hard to compose himself. Much as he wanted to respond to Jamieson's question he couldn't bring himself to admit to betraying his captain and son. As he brought his breathing under control, he felt suddenly sleepy and raised his head up to see Jamie pulling a syringe from his IV. He glared at the physician but the effect bounced off harmlessly.

"You need at least 48 hours of solid rest and a good meal, in that order. That is my prescription and you are going to follow it," Jamie declared as he pushed the man back down onto the bed. "That's right, just lay back and rest. We'll take care of Lee and keep him safe. Leave that worry to me. Now sleep."

Harri dropped off quickly as the sedative and his exhausted body easily overrode his desire to see Lee, and beg forgiveness for all that had transpired. As he slipped into blessed darkness, he quietly whispered, "Lee, forgive me son."

(ooloo)

With Harri finally out and getting the sorely needed rest, Jamieson motioned that he and Chip should exit. Nelson's response had shaken both men since it was so atypical of the normally unflappable man.

"My god, they must have both been put through hell," Chip commented as he rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. "Lee's been in critical condition in the past, but I've never seen the admiral react like that. It's almost like he's consumed with guilt for what Lee went through. Lee reacted similarly when Ferrell was executed; he had that same haunted look on his face."

"I know," Jamie replied. "I got that feeling as well. He's too tight lipped given what's happened. Hopefully once he's better rested he'll be more forthcoming with the details of their ordeal. Come on Chip, I'd like you to come to Lee's room and sit with him for a bit, he needs to hear the voices of family and home. I'm hoping that a familiar voice will stir some greater brain activity."

Chip nodded and steeled his nerves before he entered the room. He'd sat vigil any number of times when his friend returned injured from a botched ONI mission, or from rushing into action somewhere on the boat, it was the one duty he truly hated to do. He never really got used to it, but Nelson's reaction had spooked him more than normal. If what they had endured rocked the admiral so badly, he could only imagine what Lee had experienced.

Jamie held open the door for Chip. The lights in the room were very subdued and the only sounds were the mechanical pings, wheezes and beeps of the machines supporting and monitoring his best friend's life. There didn't appear to be a square inch of skin that didn't have some monitoring device adhered to it reporting what was going on inside his body.

Chip walked slowly to the bed and gently picked up Lee's right hand. "Hey bro. You're home now, and you're safe. We've got a couple of things going on with Seaview and could really use your input." As expected there was no response and Chip looked up towards the ceiling, closed his eyes and released a deep sigh as he fought back the wave of worry and despair over his friend's condition. "You just hang tight, I'm going to go corner Jamie and see when we can spring you from here."

He lay Lee's hand back down on the bed and walked over to Jamie on the opposite side of the room. "What are his chances, Jamie?" he asked quietly.

Jamie looked at Chip and shook his head. "If it was anyone else but Lee Crane, I wouldn't give you a plug nickel for them walking out of this room alive. That said, he's got one hell of a fight in front of him. Hopefully taking over some of his body's functions will give him the extra energy he needs to claw his way back. I just find it disconcerting as hell to catalog all his injuries and then try to marry that up with a body that doesn't have so much as a scratch or a bruise. The bastards were damn efficient in executing their research."

"So it would seem."

"I'm going to go check on Harri, then grab something to eat and hit the hay for a couple of hours. I'm afraid we're in for a very tense and bumpy ride."

"Sounds good Jamie. I'll sit here with Lee for a while and keep watch. I've got to take care of a couple of things in the office, but I have a plethora of volunteers that want to sit with him, so he won't be alone," Chip responded. Jamie nodded, did a once over on the readouts from the machines and then headed out the door as Chip moved to the chair positioned by Lee's bed.

"Hey Lee, it's Chip. I know you can hear me; I need you to come back to us. We've all missed you, especially Seaview, and it's time for you to take her out for a good run." Chip watched closely for any sign he'd been heard, any hint of movement back towards consciousness but was rewarded with nothing. "Come on Lee, fight. You can't let those bastards win."

(ooloo)

True to his word, Jamieson kept Nelson down and out for two days. He was less than thrilled at the minimal effort on his part that that required. Harri had been precariously close to crashing and required only the slightest push from Jamie's potion to push him over the edge. As he finished updating the admiral's chart with the most current vitals, his attention was drawn to the man in the bed as he began his ascent back to consciousness.

"Admiral…Harri, can you wake up for me?" he asked.

Nelson groaned softly and sighed. He squirmed and stretched then slowly opened his eyes. As he took in his surroundings he was momentarily confused and uncertain as to his location. He looked rapidly around the room until he spotted Jamieson and sighed in relief. "How…" he started as he briefly wondered how he came to be there.

"How are you feeling?" Jamie asked quietly.

"Tired, sore…Lee! Where's Lee?!" He sat up suddenly and immediately tried to crawl out of bed. "Is he alive?!"

Jamie jumped into action and gently tried to push him back onto the bed. "Harri relax, please. Lee is here at Med Bay. Yes, he is alive."

"And?! Where is he, I need to see him. I need to know for myself," Nelson replied as he struggled against the doctor.

"There's no way I can sugar coat this. He's in critical condition and as of this point in time the prognosis isn't good. He suffered major trauma to most of his internal organs and had to undergo emergency surgery to repair a lacerated spleen and liver. About 10 hours after you'd been back, he began to evidence symptoms of the bends and we had to place him in a decompression chamber for over 18 hours to reverse the nitrogen concentration in his body. At the present time we suspect there is some paralysis and fear that it's permanent but until he's conscious there's no way to really verify his condition. That was nearly two days ago and there's been no real improvement," Jamie explained.

Harri stopped struggling, stunned by the doctor's report on his son's condition. A haunted look passed across his face and he buried his head in his hands. Pulling himself together he looked up at Jamie. "Two days you say? I've been out that long?" Jamieson nodded. "Please Jamie, I need to see him; to talk to him."

The anguish in the man's words stunned the doctor, having never heard such pain in the admiral's voice before. "All right, Harri, just for a few minutes then you need to get back in bed and rest. Your condition isn't all that shiny either. You wait here while I get a wheelchair."

Harri nodded numbly. At least Lee was still alive. He needed to apologize, to beg his forgiveness for serving him up to those animals, and hopefully set things right between them. He just hoped Lee would be able to hear him and come back to him.

Jamieson returned momentarily with the wheelchair and assisted Harri out of bed and into the chair. He then opened the door and pushed the admiral out into the hall and down to Lee's room.

Jamieson backed carefully through the door into Lee's room as he pulled the admiral in behind him. Sharkey had the watch and had been reading aloud to his skipper from a detective novel someone had left on an earlier visit. He rose as they entered and smiled at seeing the admiral.

"Admiral, it sure is good to see you up and about, sir. Welcome home," Sharkey said.

"Thank you Chief," Nelson replied quietly and then focused on the still man in the bed. His face grew paler than it already was as he took in the number of machines attached to Lee's body. The impact was nearly as shocking as a bullet. He felt immediately cold and nauseated then began to shake as tears formed in his eyes. He rolled the chair closer to the bed and gently picked up Lee's hand. "Oh Lee…I'm so sorry, son," he whispered quietly.

"Admiral, are you all right?" Jamieson inquired as he watched Nelson's response.

"Could I have a few minutes alone with him Will?" Nelson asked.

Concerned more with Harri's health than Lee's at the moment, Jamieson hesitated at leaving him alone. He observed his boss and friend as he stared at the motionless man in the bed. His gaze never wavered as he continued to clasp the Lee's hand tightly as if trying to transfer some of his strength to his failing captain and friend.

"Please, I'm fine Will. I just need to sit with him for a bit," Harri nearly begged.

"All right, just for a few minutes and then you're going back to bed for a decent meal and a few more hours of sleep. Deal?"

Harri looked up at him and gave a halfhearted smile. "Deal. Thank you," he replied almost too quietly to be heard.

"If something changes or you need anything, I'll be just outside the door," Will replied as he pulled the door open and he and Sharkey left.

(ooloo)

As the door finally shut, Harri let loose a deep sigh and closed his eyes as he battled back the tears. He sat quietly for a moment and listened to the mechanical means that were keeping the man in the bed alive. He rose slowly from the wheelchair so that he could more fully see Lee's face. His captain was paler than he'd ever seen him before; his face almost waxen in its appearance, almost like a death mask.

The next thing to capture his attention was the fact that his hands were ice cold. Even through the worst of Lee's previous injuries his hands had never been that cold, it was as though his heart and body no longer had the power to warm him as his internal systems slowly failed. Harri gently raised Lee's hand clasped in his and held it against his chest.

"Lee, son, can you hear me? It's Harri. Come on back lad, we're home safe and sound now, thanks to you," Harri said quietly. Watching and hoping for any sign of recognition or reaction, he was sorely disappointed as Lee remained still.

"Son, I have no idea if you can hear me, but I need to say this in hopes you can understand why this all happened. Kolmar and Demari told me of their plans to begin harvesting humans for their slave trade and essentially said they would do it with or without my cooperation. I gathered that if I refused to assist them with their plans they would contact other governments on Earth and offer the same deal of technology for support in collecting stock for their trade. I couldn't take the chance of them happening onto the PR knowing what their first response would be."

"I reasoned that I might be able to sabotage their efforts on Odeja and if not there then maybe on Earth once they arrived. I had to give you up to buy their trust. We stood no chance of stopping them and getting out if we were both out of commission. You of all people understand duty to our country and our planet. I would have gladly exchanged places with you in a heartbeat. I am so sorry Lee; I could see no other way out of this situation. I hope that you can at least understand the reasons for my actions, even if you can't forgive me."

The only response Harri received was the beep of the heart monitor and the hiss-click-whoosh of the ventilator. He reached out with his hand and gently cupped Lee's face. "I'll never leave you like that again, Lee. I promise son. Please come back, lad. It took me too long to find my son and I'm not willing to give you up now."

Harri had no idea how long he stood there, but was mildly startled when Jamie gently placed his hand on his shoulder not having heard the doctor enter the room. He looked up at the physician, his eyes wet with tears.

"Come on Harri, you need to take a break and get some rest," Jamie said quietly.

"No, I can't leave him again. I won't!"

"Sir, I'll stay with him. I'll keep watch," Chip replied. His expression conveyed the worry they all felt for both the admiral and Lee.

Harri stared at him ready to object but suddenly felt dizzy and swayed. Jamie immediately walked him back to the wheelchair and sat him down. He checked his pulse, all the while observing him closely.

"Are you all right?" Jamie asked.

"Yes, yes I'm fine. I just got a little lightheaded, that's all," Harri blustered back.

"That's it, you're going back to your room to eat and to rest, and that's final."

Harri glowered at him but really had very limited energy with which to protest. He harrumphed and slumped down in the wheelchair as Jamie began pushing it out the door.

(olooo)


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Once settled in his bed, Harri was presented with a meal tray. "Eat." Will said as he settled himself in the chair at the foot of the bed.

"Will, I'm not hungry," Harri answered and began to push the tray away.

"No, sir. We had a deal and I expect you to live up to your commitments. You're not going to do Lee any good if you make yourself sick."

Harri reluctantly pulled the tray back and picked up a fork. He loaded the utensil with a mound of eggs and sneered at it before putting it into his mouth and forcing it down. "There, happy? I ate."

"Geez you're worse than Lee. I'll let you know when I'm happy, now eat," the doctor replied.

Nelson groused some more but as he ate he began to feel better and realized that he truly was hungry. Jamie silently regarded Harri as he ate his breakfast. There was something very definitely wrong and he needed to find out what that was if he was going to try and help the man heal the hurt he had seen in his eyes.

Having eaten his fill, Harri put down his fork and pushed the rolling tray stand back. "Happy now?"

"Feel better?" Jamie asked.

"Yes, thank you," Harri answered as he scowled at the physician. "I'm developing a greater appreciation and sympathy for Lee's claims of your excessive nagging and mother henning."

Jamie laughed. He sat quietly for a moment trying to decide how best to broach the topic he was most interested in and finally decided a direct approach would be the most effective. "Harri, what happened on that planet? Lee's experiences are obvious but the pain I see in your eyes and your reaction to Lee has me concerned."

Harri's expression became as hard and inscrutable as stone at Jamie's question. He was only now having any luck at locking that hate and self-loathing behind an internal wall of steel, suffering in silence. After a moment he spoke. "I would think it rather obvious. Lee was tortured and I was not. We should have shared that fate but we didn't, they decided to take it all out on him. I got to stand there and watch!"

"There's more to it than that. You may not have been tortured physically, but emotionally you're just as injured as Lee. You need to open up about this Harri or it will eat you alive. Let me help if I can," Jamie responded evenly.

Harri regarded his friend and physician for a moment, wondering what his reaction would be to finding out he had betrayed his captain and served him up to the aliens. "It's not something I'm willing to talk about, not yet, maybe not ever," he replied quietly.

Just as Jamie was about to answer, a nurse flung open the door to the admiral's room. "Doctor we need you immediately, Captain Crane is having problems!"

Jamie leapt to his feet and charged out the door following the man down the hall and into Lee's room. Harri also worked his way out of bed, threw on his robe and bolted from his room to check on his friend.

(ooloo)

The scene had an element of choreographed chaos as the medical staff worked frantically to respond to the alarms sounding from nearly every machine monitoring the patient in bed. "What happened?!" Will asked Frank as he moved quickly to Lee's side.

"His heartbeat has become very erratic, BP is falling and based on the readings his body has begun to shut down," he replied tersely.

Jamie nodded as he received the report and scanned the various monitors. He began ordering a litany of drugs in an attempt to reverse and stabilize the captain's condition and bring his system back in balance. Nothing he tried had any positive effect as Lee's condition continued to decline at an alarming rate.

After nearly an hour of frantic work, Jamie finally stepped back and hung his head. He turned slowly and faced Harri and Chip, who stood shaken and transfixed by what they had just observed. They were Lee's next of kin in all reality and they needed to make the next very difficult decision.

"He's just not responding," Jamie said quietly. "If you want we can continue trying to reverse what's happening, but it will only prolong the inevitable. Even if we can keep him from dying, I'm practically certain that he will be paralyzed to some extent and has most likely suffered significant brain damage that will leave him little more than just a shell of himself, if he even regains consciousness."

The doctor's words hit Harri and Chip like a point-blank broadside of torpedoes. Both men paled and Harri felt his knees go weak at Will's prognosis. The looks of shock and pain on their faces was palpable as they processed the loss of their friend/brother/son. They both opened their mouths to speak, but neither was able to force a word out.

Finally breaking through the barrier of denial, Chip spoke first, his voice shaken and choked with emotion. "I think it best we let him go then. We all know Lee wouldn't want to live that way." Jamie nodded in agreement and he and Chip looked to Harri for his input.

Nelson stood immobile, his eyes fixed on the man struggling for life in the bed across the room. He shook his head slowly back and forth, "No, no, no," he repeated quietly his eyes brimming with tears.

"Admiral, are you all right?" Jamie said as he stepped forward and gently grabbed his arm, afraid he might collapse.

The touch startled Nelson and he stared ferociously at both Chip and Jamie. A moment later he yanked his arm free and bolted from the room leaving everyone inside stunned by his actions. The only sound that could be heard was the erratic beep emanating from the heart monitor and the click-hiss-whoosh of the ventilator.

(ooloo)

Shocked by Nelson's response, Chip stared agape at Jamieson and the rest of the medical staff. He then bolted out of the room to go find the admiral and help him. As he moved down the hall, he spied the door to the admiral's room slowly swinging shut. He ran quickly over to the door, pushed it open and looked inside.

What he found was Nelson tearing open the drawers to the small dresser in the room. Not finding what he was after he moved to the closet and flung open the door. He grabbed the uniform hanging on the hanger and began rooting through the pockets, desperately looking for something. "Where the hell are my personal effects?!" he yelled as he looked around the room for any other possible places they could be stored.

"Sir, what are you looking for? We need to go back and be with Lee. We need to make a decision, Admiral."

"No! I need to find where they've stored everything I had in my pockets," Harri replied loudly.

"They were probably placed in the safe in Jamie's office for safe keeping," Chip answered, still confused by the admiral's behavior.

"Go get Jamie and meet me there!" Harri ordered. "I have to get what was in my pockets. Chip, run!"

Chip nodded and bolted out of the admiral's room back down to Lee's. Harri followed him out and then made a beeline down to Jamie's office at the end of the corridor. He kicked himself for not remembering what Pradjic had given him earlier. Only now as Jamieson had announced that there was nothing else he could do, did he recall the small cylinder the Odejaian had given him for use in just this case.

He threw open the doctor's door and located the safe. He began pacing furiously as he awaited the arrival of Jamie and Chip. "Hurry… hurry…no time left," he repeated as he moved around the office like a caged animal.

Seconds later Chip arrived with Jamie. Both men were quite obviously concerned with the admiral's odd behavior, but even when he seemed most irrational there was usually a sound reason behind it.

Harri let loose a relieved sigh as he regarded both men. "Jamie are my personal effects in your safe?"

"Yes, everything that was in your pockets was placed there; it's SOP," Jamie replied as he closely scrutinized his friend.

"Get that safe open now!" Harri ordered. "Please Jamie, this could mean Lee's life."

Jamieson was about to balk, but the fierce expression on Nelson's face told him it would be better to comply now, and try to reason with him later. He walked to the safe, quickly entered the combination and pulled open the door. He removed the sealed envelope with Harri's effects and passed it over to him.

Nelson snatched the envelope out of the doctor's hand, ripped it open and spilled the contents out onto the doctor's desk. He rapidly sorted through the few things that were there until he spotted the small metal cylinder he was after. He snatched it up then dashed from the room and back down the hall, followed closely by Jamieson and Morton.

"Harri what have you got? Admiral?!" Jamieson called after the man as he ran after him.

Harri threw open the door to Lee's room, startling the staff inside. He walked quickly over to Lee and looked down at his son. He already looked dead, his skin was an ashy white and his body felt cold to the touch. He swallowed hard then opened his hand and regarded the cylinder he had collected. He quickly rotated it in his hand looking for a way to activate it and inject the contents into Lee. Finding a small button on one end he oriented the device and prepared to use it on him.

Just then Jamieson grabbed his wrist almost making him drop it. "What are you doing? What is that?" he inquired.

"The Odejaian who helped us escape gave me this before we left. It said it could possibly save Lee's life if our medical abilities came up short. He said that I should only use it if all else fails, since it was developed for them," Harri replied.

"I can't sanction that. We don't know what effects it will have on him. It could…" Jamieson started.

"It could what? Kill him? Haven't you already sentenced him to death?" Nelson ground out.

Jamie glared back at him. The words stung but were true. "And what if this does save him, are you ready to sentence him to a life in a long-term nursing facility? Is that what Lee would want?"

Nelson's expression softened as he regarded his long-time friend. "Jamie, what have we really got to lose? These beings, aside from being sadistic capitalists, are an advanced race with access to hundreds if not thousands of other societies across the galaxy and medicines we've never even conceived of yet," Harri said. "I want to give Lee every chance possible. I owe him that much, a thousand times over. I also accept all responsibility for this."

Jamie sighed deeply and closed his eyes. "Okay Harri proceed, as long as it's acceptable with Chip." Chip stared at Nelson a long moment then slowly nodded his agreement.

"Thank you both," he said quietly. He then placed the small cylinder against Lee's thigh and pressed the switch. There was a slight hiss and the cylinder grew very warm, then changed in color from silver, to red and then black.

Harri moved forward and took up Lee's hand. "There son, now fight your way back to us. I know you have it in you," he said quietly in his ear.

(ooloo)

They all watched expectantly for nearly five minutes but nothing had apparently changed because of the injection. Suddenly that changed as Lee's legs began to shake and he was soon consumed by violent convulsions as his body reacted to the medication. Jamie and his team galvanized into action, applying restraints to keep Lee on the table and from injuring himself or others.

As they applied the restraints, Jamie became aware of a rapid rise in Lee's temperature. As his heart and other bodily functions had failed his temperature had dropped to the low 90's but was now radiating something well over a hundred. "What's his temp?" he called out.

Frank quickly grabbed the insta-read thermometer and inserted it gently into his ear. He looked at the readout and did a visible double take. He zeroed out the display, took another reading and got exactly the same thing. "You're not going to believe this sir, it's 104."

"That's not possible, not that quickly," Jamie replied, even though he could feel the heat radiating from the body on the bed.

The next thing they became aware of was an almost manic response from the EEG as Lee's brain activity increased dramatically. The scope recording his brain wave pattern was pegged, displaying a solid screen of activity much like a large magnitude earthquake. His eyes shifted frantically back and forth beneath his lids. His heartrate skyrocketed as though he was being chased by some predator and was running for his life. Sweat now poured out of every pore as the strain on his various systems and organs superheated his body.

The only thing they could do was watch and wait since they had no idea what was in the cylinder Nelson had used, and if that would react negatively with any of the drugs Jamie might use to try and mitigate the reaction Lee was having. The only action Jamie had taken was to disconnect Lee from the ventilator since he was now breathing heavily on his own. Harri stood there steadfastly gripping his son's hand as he went through yet another round of hell, resolute that he would not go through this alone.

Forty minutes into the reaction the convulsions stopped as suddenly as they had begun. Lee was gulping in air trying desperately to oxygenate his blood given the extreme exertion he had experienced as the compound had worked its way through his system. As they watched in wonder, his heart rate slowed to a normal rate as did his respiration. His temperature began to decline rapidly and his EEG began settling into a normal resting pattern.

As Lee resumed his usual textbook readings Jamie scratched his head. "I'll be damned."

While Harri continued to hold Lee's hand he felt a slight pressure as though Lee was squeezing his hand back. He stared down at his son in apprehension wondering what permanent effects Lee had sustained from his torture and exposure to the drug. Watching his face carefully, he was completely surprised to see the long black lashes flutter slightly and then his eyelids slowly opened revealing his amber eyes much like a sunrise following a wicked storm.

"Lee?" Harri said quietly as he locked eyes with him.

Lee blinked a number of times trying desperately to focus on the blurry figure above him. After a moment he made out a man staring down at him, his worried expression plain to see. He tried to respond but found that he had a tube down his throat at which point his eyes opened wide and he became somewhat panicked, his hand shooting to his mouth and the offending object.

At that point Jamie stepped in and captured Lee's free hand. "Lee, Lee! It's Will, focus on me!" he said sternly. Lee reluctantly tore his eyes away from Harri and focused on Jamie. He was greeted with a relieved smile that reached the depths of the doctor's blue eyes.

"Lee, I need you to relax. You've been very ill and have been hooked up to just about every machine I have at my disposal. I need you to just relax and breathe normally, okay."

Lee blinked and took a deep breath. As he was doing that Jamie eased his way between Harri and Lee.

"Admiral, I need you to let go of Lee and step back so we can take care of him now." Nelson made no move to leave. "Harri, please let go of his hand and step back a bit. I promise once we get the breathing tube removed, get a reading on his vitals and assess his condition, I'll let you come back. Is that acceptable?"

Harri blinked as Jamie's words worked their way in. He smiled and nodded. As he released Lee's hand and stepped back he noticed Lee's wide eyes riveted on him. He tried to divine the feelings behind the nearly feral stare but couldn't even begin to guess at what was going on in Lee's mind at the moment. His eyes never strayed, even with Jamie and crew fussing about him. What was it he saw in them; hatred, fear, betrayal, condemnation, disappointment?

Harri had never felt so afraid and uncertain in his life, he almost didn't want Jamie removing the breathing tube and giving Lee access to his voice. He was terrified Lee would condemn him for his actions and order him from his life. He knew he deserved it and more but dearly hoped that there would be some compassion, some forgiveness from the man he considered his son.

(ooloo)


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Jamie quickly removed the breathing tube, eliciting a deep sigh from the man on the table. He and the rest of the staff began collecting readings and assessing the captain's condition following his treatment with the Odejaian drug. Blood and other fluid samples were collected and hurried down to the lab to determine the condition of Lee's organs and internal system. Jamie had them collect the spent cylinder from Nelson as well, in hopes they could determine what it contained.

As all this was occurring Lee still maintained his gaze on Nelson, only looking elsewhere when his attention was drawn away by the doctor or one of the nurses. He had thus far made no effort to speak.

"Lee, how are you feeling?" Jamie asked.

Lee looked up at him somewhat quizzically, yet remained silent. Jamie regarded his face looking for any indication he understood him.

"Lee, can you respond? Do you understand what I'm saying?" Again the puzzled look and silence.

A concerned expression spread across Jamie's face as he began to worry at Lee's lack of response. He immediately began testing the captain for physical responses to stimulus. The only voluntary response he had seen thus far was Lee's initial response to the breathing tube down his throat. He pinched the top of Lee's hand and got a slight wince and pull. He then repeated that on his torso, legs and feet but Lee didn't react, as though he hadn't felt it.

"Jamie, what's wrong?" Chip asked quietly as he watched the doctor. Harri too fixed him with an inquiring look as he watched the neurological tests Jamie performed. Jamie didn't respond and continued his tests. After a moment he looked up at the two and gave them a nod that indicated they should all step outside.

"Lee, we're going to step outside for a moment. I need you to just relax and do what the nurses tell you, okay?" Jamie said to his patient. Lee looked up at him and blinked sleepily then his eyes slid shut. Jamie was somewhat concerned but after a quick check of his patient sighed and then turned to escort Chip and Harri out of the room.

"Jamie, what's wrong with him? Why isn't he speaking? Why isn't he moving" Chip asked anxiously.

"I can't answer that right now Chip. It could be as a result of the bends, damage done during the torture, or maybe even that drug the admiral injected. Remember, his body for all practical purposes had shut down. Hopefully it's as simple as giving his body time to essentially reboot his system."

"Why did he pass out?" Nelson inquired.

"He didn't pass out; he went to sleep. I can only imagine how exhausted he is especially after going through the effects of that injection. I'm hoping that this condition is only temporary and his body will eventually return to normal after it's had time to recuperate. This is all unknown territory at this point," Jamie explained. "The one thing we do know, is that he recognized you Admiral. That's an encouraging sign that his memory may not be impaired."

Harri nodded slightly but looked more worried than pleased with that bit of information. He sighed deeply and leaned heavily against the wall.

"Speaking of being exhausted, I'd say you're more than a little ready for a bed and some rest," Jamieson said as he regarded Nelson.

"No Jamie, I have too much I need to do." Harri replied.

"The only thing you need to do is get another 10 to 12 hours of sleep. You keep trying to deny it, but you are physically and emotionally worn out. Chip, is there anything that you can think of that demands the admiral's immediate attention?"

"Nothing related to NIMR or Seaview," Chip replied. "Please sir, do as Jamie asks, I think Lee is going to really need you once he wakes up."

Harri blanched at that remark and slowly shook his head. "I think that highly unlikely, Chip. Odds are he'll never want to see or speak to me again, not after what happened on Odeja."

"What did happen sir?" Chip asked, extremely curious after observing the admiral's reactions and Lee's fixation on him moments ago.

Harri looked up and down the hallway, closed his eyes and shook his head. "Not here, let's go back to my room. It's not something I want aired to the entire world, not yet."

Once they were back in his room and he was herded into bed, Harri revealed what had occurred during their time in Odeja. Both Chip and Jamie sat quietly as the admiral described what he had done, what the Odejaians had done to Lee, what Lee had screamed at him, and how Lee had attacked Demari enabling their escape; he focused intently on his hands as he described the events. As he finished relating what had happened, he finally looked up at the men seated across the room. He fully expected to find looks of disapproval and condemnation for his actions but instead found sympathy and concern.

"My god," Chip finally said. "I'm so sorry sir. I can only imagine what you went through making that decision."

"No wonder you're upset," Jamie added.

"I have no idea what to say to Lee, I…I… I don't even think I can face him. If I had only been smarter, been able to come up with some other way of getting us out of there and derailing their plans…," Nelson stated, the self-condemnation and self-loathing dripping off his words. "You should have seen the hate and rage on his face, there's no doubt he believes I sold him out. In his rant he said they had shown him video of me agreeing to be their partner and giving him to them to do with as they want."

Both men shuddered slightly as they imagined the betrayal Lee must have felt being shown his closest friend and the man he considered a father delivering him into the hell in which he was trapped. Harri's description of what the beam felt like was no doubt a watered down version of what Lee had endured. Jamie was immediately concerned about how Harri's presence might impact his recovering patient. They all had noticed that Lee's eyes were riveted on the admiral when he awoke. Until he could adequately express himself, there was no knowing what his true feelings were towards Nelson.

"Harri," Jamie began tentatively, "I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea to stay away from Lee until he's able to communicate. I think he's probably going to be in a very fragile condition emotionally for a while, especially if it turns out he's incapacitated in some way."

Nelson looked somewhat stricken by Jamieson's words but nodded after a moment in agreement. "I've been considering that as well. I don't want to upset him any more than is necessary. I just want to know he's safe and healing." He brushed his hand over his face and as he looked back at his friends, he seemed to have aged decades in the span of a moment.

"I agree sir. I'll make sure Lee has lots of company and we keep him occupied as he heals," Chip said. "You just need to relax and recover so you can be there for him when he needs you."

(ooloo)

His world had become a seething, roiling maelstrom of sensations as consciousness slapped him wickedly in the face. His body went from frigid to fiery in the span of a heartbeat as something coursed violently through his veins. He went from feeling nothing, not even sure of his own existence, to keenly aware of every nerve and muscle fiber in his body and they all screamed as they were shocked back to life.

His mind tumbled and rolled endlessly, struggling hard to maintain even a single thought, like a swimmer caught up in a pounding surf. Unrelated and unbidden thoughts, perceptions and memories stormed through his brain illuminating his consciousness like fireworks on a moonless night.

He was suddenly awake and aware yet nothing truly made sense. He felt like a shepherd herding cats, trying desperately to force his thoughts into some semblance of order. Just as he felt like he was gaining a grasp, they would scatter wildly in all directions.

Sounds invaded his ears serving to scramble his thoughts even more as he listened to the cacophony of voices he was unable to understand. His eyes then opened seemingly of their own volition and a flood of images added yet another layer of confusion to his badly reeling mind. As he was finally able to focus a bit he was greeted by the image of a man with red hair and intense blue eyes staring down at him. Before that could truly register he became aware of a foreign object down his throat and he instinctively reacted to try and clear it away. He was immediately thwarted as his hand was captured and pinned down. He tried desperately to break free but his body refused to answer his orders.

As panic began to build, his attention was drawn to another face that spoke harshly to him, demanding his compliance. He focused on the man but neither what he said, nor who he was registered in his badly jumbled mind. He found himself being repositioned and then suddenly the tube was removed and he was able to breathe freely. He sighed in relief then instantly sought out the face of the first man he had seen.

Once he found the man, standing across the room, he fixed his gaze upon him. He knew somehow he was important to him, he would know why he was here, he could answer the myriad of questions that now flooded into his brain. He tried to speak but nothing came out. He tried again and again but his body refused his call and eventually he grew weary and his eyes slowly slid shut.

(ooloo)


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It had been nearly two weeks since Nelson had injected Lee with the drug provided by the Odejaian to save the captain's life. In that time, Lee's damaged organs had all started to regenerate, repairing the damage caused at the hands of his captors. Aside from the fact that Lee still couldn't speak or move his lower extremities, Jamie was generally pleased with his progress. Lee's brain scans showed normal activity but Jamieson was still at a loss to explain why he had yet to recover at least the ability to speak.

Efforts they had made to communicate with him had also hit a stumbling block as Lee seemed unable to understand what they were asking him. Attempts to use the blink once for yes, twice for no, method failed, frustrating both himself and Lee. Jamie could easily see the questions and concerns in his patient's eyes but had no way at the moment of responding so that he understood.

As Will worried about the younger man's long term prognosis, he was also deeply concerned about the slow and steady decline of his boss. Although the admiral had been released from Med Bay and had returned to work, Lee's slow progress and his deep seated guilt over his perceived betrayal of his captain was slowly eating away at his vitality and health. He had seemingly lost all interest in his marine research and his pride and joy Seaview, and focused only on trying to develop a means to detect wormholes to give warning to the planet in the future. It was a struggle on all their parts to ensure the man ate regularly and limited his cigarette and alcohol intake. He was caught in a slow motion spiral to personal ruin.

Despite what Jamie had suggested, Harri still made late night visits to Lee's room, only when he was sure he was asleep. On several occasions they had found him sound asleep in a chair seated next to Lee, his hand laying lightly on his arm.

Both Jamie and Chip were at a loss at how to bring the man around and convince him that he had had no other choice and had done everything he could to rescue Lee and save the planet. No matter how they tried their arguments fell on deaf ears.

(ooloo)

It had seemed like forever, lying there unable to move, unable to talk, unable to understand those around him. The only change he noted was that he was feeling better, more alert, even stronger. He wanted desperately to see and talk to the man with the red hair but he had been noticeably absent since he first awakened. There were times he thought he had been there, sitting with him, talking to him, but couldn't truly remember if that was real or just another of the intense dreams he had each night.

At least now they let him sleep all night and didn't come in to disturb him checking for what, he wasn't quite sure. The nights were now all his where he could concentrate on making sense of what was happening. He knew it was late since it had been some time since anyone had entered the room to check on him. He let loose a relieved sigh at finally having a modicum of privacy and alone time.

As he laid there working hard to mentally fit together all the puzzle pieces he had collected since he had first awakened, he began to feel an intense tingling in his feet and legs. It felt like an army of ants were crawling up his legs tickling and biting as they went. He tried to move but as usual nothing worked. He tracked the climb of sensation up his legs until it reached his back and the base of his spine and suddenly it felt as though his entire body was on fire.

He reflexively curled tightly into a fetal ball as neurons and muscles flashed and flexed. It felt as though his entire body was being force fed a surge of electrical energy. He felt his muscles quiver and pop as though they were throwing off the effects of being inactive for so long. His skin came alive registering every sensation as he jerked and thrashed about on the bed and as the night air washed over his body as he threw off the covers. A crashing bolt of pain screamed up his spine and into his brain causing him to nearly black out. He was suddenly bathed in sweat as his body tried desperately to cool the impact of the sudden changes and stresses on his system.

He writhed in agony, his mouth open trying to give vent to a scream. The pain wracking his body was relentless and he was unable to stop or escape what was happening to him. Then as suddenly as it began it stopped. He sucked in shallow, gasping breaths as he tried to slow his heart and gain control of his body. As the pain became more a memory, he found that he was now able to feel his body and more importantly move it. He let loose a deep sigh of relief.

He slowly pushed himself up in bed, swung his legs carefully over the side and let them dangle for a moment as he adjusted to being upright. Once certain he was steady, he eased his feet onto the floor and relished the feeling of the cold linoleum on the soles of his feet. He wiggled his toes and took great joy in watching them move. He laughed and startled himself when the sound rang in his ears.

He then pushed up off the bed and stood on his own two feet. He swayed momentarily but then became rock solid as his balance and strength took hold. He started out by taking a few steps alongside the bed keeping his hand on it for support in case he fell but found his stride confident and sure. He stepped away and walked around the room overjoyed at being able to move once again.

As his body responded, his mind also began kicking into gear. He still was at a loss as to who he was, or how he came to be there but he could maintain a thought and plot a course of action. Things around him were both strange but somehow familiar as if he belonged in this place. The one thing he knew for certain was he had to find the red haired man, because he _**knew**_ he had the answers he sought. What he also knew, with absolute certainty, was that if he was discovered by the others he would be tied back onto the bed and subjected to their endless poking and prodding. A quick vision of being strapped naked to a table and excruciating agony sprung to mind causing him to nearly collapse. There would be no repeat of that, he assured himself as his legs steadied and he scanned the room for a way out.

He walked quickly to the closet and pulled it open looking for anything he could wear to make his escape. He was pleased to find a sweat suit, underwear, and shoes neatly stowed in the cabinet. He quickly divested himself of his hospital garb and pulled on the clothes. He smiled in appreciation as they all fit perfectly. Now came the hard part, getting out unseen and finding the red haired man.

(ooloo)

As he contemplated how best to make his exit, it was as if there was voice in the back of his mind telling him exactly how to do it. He had done this before, he knew he was somehow expert in escapes, and the steps he had to take to evade those in the building and make it outside flooded his mind. He smiled to himself then cautiously pushed the door slightly open and slipped out into the hallway.

He eased his way down the hall to the exit and gently pushed the door open to find a stairway leading down and out. He scampered quickly down the stairs then reaching the fire door exiting the building, he eased it open and scanned the nearly empty parking lot and grounds before him. As before it all seemed vaguely familiar and as he looked off to the right he saw a multi-story office building and knew that's where he would find the red haired man.

He had to find him, why he couldn't specifically say other than he had promises to keep and he knew the man would have answers; he always had the answers. He just hoped once he saw him again, the reasons for needing to find him would become clear.

Not seeing anyone patrolling the area, he eased his way out and kept low as he ran to the nearby hedge. He skulked along its length until he reached the end where there was an open walkway that led to the building. He scanned the area in front of him deciding how best to cross the distance. He noticed a number of large palm trees that ran between the buildings and he figured he could dash from one to the next until he reached his goal.

He pushed up to his feet and hauled ass to the first tree then stopped and scanned the area around him. No alarms had sounded and he still hadn't seen anyone else about the grounds. Deciding to push his luck a bit more, he darted out from behind the tree and ran all the way across the space then plastered himself tightly against the other building in the shadows, hopefully out of sight. Despite the urgent need to find the red haired man, he was enjoying the physical activity after having been cooped up so long.

Now at the building, he realized he had nothing with which to gain entry. Short of breaking a window and no doubt setting off alarms, he would have to hope that a door or window was unlocked. He quickly began trying the windows and doors on the ground floor and as he moved back to the service entrance he found the man-door to the supply receiving bay propped open. He cautiously eased the door open and scanned the room, finding no one in sight he entered and closed the door silently behind him. " _Need to talk to Chip about that_ ," he thought then froze as he tried to figure out where that stray thought came from.

Shaking off the distraction he silently made his way across the receiving bay while keeping a keen eye out for any security or maintenance staff that may be in the building. He reached the only other door to the room and cautiously peered through the small glass window into what appeared to be a lobby. Having no other choice, he pulled open the door and slipped silently inside.

The lobby was a large atrium with one entire wall and a portion of the ceiling composed of windows allowing the full moon to light the room. Up near the main doors was a reception desk that was unoccupied. There were numerous plants and trees positioned around the space along with several benches and a couple of tables and chairs, giving it the feel of an open garden. The smell of living plants and flowers perfumed the air and he breathed in deeply savoring an aroma that wasn't tainted with either a dank mold or antiseptics. Knowing if he lingered too long he would undoubtedly be discovered, he pushed off the wall and moved cautiously into the room and towards the main staircase keeping to the shadows as much as possible. Again there was a sensation of familiarity with this place only stronger than the medical facility, and it scratched and niggled at the back of his mind making it difficult to concentrate.

As he crept towards the stairs he encountered a glass display case with models of a large submarine with windows of all things, and a smaller yellow one with windows as well. Behind the case hanging on the wall were pictures of three men. He closely scrutinized the models and then the photos. There he was, the red haired man. He nearly shouted with joy at finding at least his image. In the picture next to him was the blond man who had spent hours at his bedside talking to him, keeping him company, and according to the label his name was Chip. The dark haired man on the other side seemed familiar as well but he couldn't place him. They had called him Lee, was the man in the picture him? As he stared between the models and the photographs it felt as though another electric charge surged through his brain dropping him to one knee.

He grabbed his head trying to stop what felt like his brain spinning inside his skull. He knew them all somehow, the men and the machines, but where in his world they existed eluded his grasp and the answer skittered and slithered around inside his head. Then suddenly he was nearly overwhelmed by a feeling of extreme anger, hatred and betrayal. A fire flared to life inside him; a desire for revenge for a seeming lifetime of agony and torture. Deep within the recesses of his fractured mind, he knew he had a task to complete; he'd made a promise, if only to himself and he intended to keep it. He needed to find the red haired man, it all revolved around him somehow.

Forcing back the pain and curbing his all-consuming hatred and rage, he managed to gain control over his body once more. He pushed slowly to his feet and staggered towards the staircase. Reaching the handrail on the staircase he spotted an elevator door in the recessed area behind it. He smiled briefly at not having to climb the stairs to the top floor. He knew instinctively that the red haired man was there and he would get his answers.

Now more certain on his feet he made his way to the elevator and depressed the button summoning the car. The car descended obediently to the call and opened wide to admit him. He quickly entered and perused the panel. He punched the button for the penthouse and was then prompted for the access code. He stared at the small keypad perplexed for a moment then suddenly a number flashed into his mind. He typed in the code and much to his surprise, the door closed and the car began to ascend.

(ooloo)

Harri was facing yet another sleepless night as he wrestled with his guilt and feelings of inadequacy for failing to find a way out of their predicament on Odeja without sacrificing Lee. He turned over once more, his bed a snarl of covers from his continuous tossing and turning in an attempt at sleep. He had taken to staying at the penthouse apartment atop the Admin building on the NIMR grounds instead of returning to his beachside home. He usually only did that when involved in experiments that required his attention at odd hours or when returning late from a mission. His reason now was to be readily available should something happen to Lee and he needed him, or to allow him to go to Med Bay to sit by his side late at night and keep watch without him knowing he was there.

He looked over at the night table and saw the bottle of fine scotch Lee had given him and a glass. He debated pouring himself another shot but quickly decided against it. As he flipped over his pillow for the thousandth time and punched it into submission he was startled when his phone began to ring. He looked quickly at the clock and noted it was 0301. He became immediately alarmed as phone calls at that hour rarely imparted good news. He reached over to the nightstand and grabbed his phone. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves, then answered.

"Nelson," he replied brusquely.

"Admiral, it's Jamieson. Sir, we have a problem."

"What kind of problem? Is something wrong with Lee?" Harri asked, the concern readily apparent in his voice.

"Yes sir. He's gone," Jamie replied.

"Gone? Like died gone or do you mean something else?" Harri inquired nearly panicked.

"Physically missing, gone. The nurse went in to check on him and found the room empty. His sweats and shoes are gone from the wardrobe and there's no sign of him anywhere in the building. We've alerted security and they have initiated a search of the grounds."

"When did this happen?"

"About a half hour ago. Greg immediately notified me and we conducted a thorough search of Med Bay and the surrounding area. We've found no signs of where he might be. Chip is on his way in so we can get together and try and figure out where he may have gone. Sharkey has the anchor watch on high alert in case he shows up there," Jamie explained.

"How did this happen? I thought he was still paralyzed?"

"So did we. He had shown no indications of being able to move let alone the ability to get out of bed and walk. He still was unable to communicate so I think it unlikely that he enlisted anyone's aid in making his escape. I'm completely baffled Harri. Aside from him intentionally hiding his new found abilities, the only conceivable answer is there was some latent effect from the injection that has only recently kicked in. We have no idea what was in that cylinder since the compounds we found are completely alien to this planet."

"Understood, Jamie. I'll be down there in a few minutes, as soon as I get dressed," Nelson answered and ended the call.

Harri bolted out of bed and made directly for the closet grabbing his clothing. He quickly changed into his jeans and sweatshirt and pulled on his socks and shoes. He then hit the bathroom and was headed towards the front door in under five minutes. As he turned the door knob and pulled open the door he was startled to find and equally startled Lee Crane standing there staring at him.

(ooloo)


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Lee! What are you doing here?" Harri asked.

Lee stood there mouth agape and momentarily frozen as he came face to face with the red haired man. He crammed one eye shut and furiously rubbed his left fist against his temple as memories flooded into his mind and began falling rapidly into place. He felt suddenly nauseous and unsteady as the rage he had experienced earlier flared even higher as he regarded the man.

"Lee, son, come in and sit down," Harri said and reached out to take Lee's arm to escort him over to the sofa.

Lee jerked his arm free and swayed slightly. Nelson cautiously backed up to allow him to enter if he chose. He watched with great trepidation the war of emotions that played across his captain's face. There was relief, curiosity, uncertainty, caution, and rage. It was the rage that concerned him most, he remembered how it had been used against Demari.

"No, don't touch me," Lee said as he warily eyed the red haired man.

"Lee, son. Why are you here?" Harri tried again.

"I need answers and have promises to keep," he ground out as both of his eyes peeked out through thin slits between his eyelids. He continued to rub the side of his head as he seemed to be piecing things together.

Harri swallowed hard as he remembered the promises Lee had made as he stood next to him while strapped to that table after being tortured. The words echoed endlessly in his mind: ' _You better pray to hell I don't get free because I will end you, old man!',' Get the hell away from me or so help me I will kill you the minute I'm loose!'_

Harri backed up further as Lee began to advance on him. He ran an appraising eye over the younger man and realized he was in prime shape with no hint that he had been paralyzed and incapacitated since their return from Odeja over two weeks ago. If Lee came after him to fulfill his promise, he seriously doubted he could defend himself even if he wanted to. He watched in horror as a feral, and malicious grin spread across Lee's face and something deliberate entered his now unflinching gaze.

(ooloo)

"Thanks Chief, let me know if anyone spots even the tiniest thing unusual...Yes I'll let you know immediately once he's been spotted," Jamieson replied and hung up.

Chip entered his office just as Jamie ended the call. "I take it no one has seen him on the boat yet?" Chip asked.

"Yep. They've combed the entire boat and even threw a few crewmen in to the vent shafts to check those as well. Security has been all over the grounds and haven't found the slightest hint that he's been around. They just started a building by building search," Jamie responded.

"I'm surprised the admiral's not here yet. He is at the penthouse correct? You did alert him, didn't you?" Chip inquired.

"Yes I did, right after I called security and you," Jamie replied then glanced down at his watch. "That was nearly 45 minutes ago, he should be here by now. He said he'd be here as soon as he got dressed."

Both men's eyes grew wide as they thought over what Jamie had just said. Chip grabbed the phone and quickly dialed the admiral's number at the penthouse. The phone rang until the answering machine picked up. "Well he's not answering the house phone." He then dialed the admiral's cell number and it too rang until the call shifted to voicemail. "He's not answering that one either, you don't suppose…?"

"I think it's a very distinct possibility. I'll alert security," Jamie answered. As soon as he hung up the phone, both men were out the door running down the hall towards the exit and the Admin building.

"Do you think Lee poses a threat to the admiral? I mean do you think he'd really act on the threat he made to him on Odeja?"

"I have no idea, Chip. We have no idea what frame of mind he's in or even his physical condition. He was under extreme duress at the time, so there's no knowing if he was even truly aware of what he was saying," Jamie answered.

They arrived quickly at the Admin building and pulled on the front doors finding them locked. Chip dug through his pockets and pulled out his keys. He shuffled through the clutter of keys on the ring until he found the one to the front door and rapidly inserted it in the keyhole and unlocked the door. As they entered the atrium, they scanned the area quickly looking for any sign of Lee. Finding none they bolted across the lobby to the elevator. Chip slammed the button calling the car and noted the elevator was already at the penthouse floor. They stood nervously waiting for the car to descend and the doors to open.

"Come on, come on," Chip hissed under his breath as they waited for the car to arrive.

As soon as the doors opened they were inside; Chip pushed the button for the penthouse and keyed in the penthouse access code. It seemed to take forever for the doors to close, even with Chip leaning on the door close button. The ride up was tense with both men anxiously tapping their foot waiting for the car to ascend and to open the door.

When the door opened they were greeted with the sight of the penthouse door ajar, a situation most unusual. They moved forward cautiously, almost afraid of what they would find as Jamie pushed the front door open wider. The sight that greeted them stunned them momentarily as they took in the admiral lying motionless on the floor, blood covering the side of his face, and Lee Crane kneeling over him with fresh blood on his hands.

(ooloo)

Seeing the red haired man in person re-stoked the fire inside him as wave upon wave of anger and hate washed over him. With those emotions came the memories and answers he'd been searching for. He recalled the stop at the small atoll and being sucked into a vortex that seemed to take them out of time and space. He finally recalled the slug like creatures, the Odejaians, who had imprisoned and tortured him just to see how much he could take. He recalled being strapped to the table and them playing a video of Harriman Nelson, his commanding officer, friend, and man he considered a father, agreeing to a partnership to enslave and trade humans to the alien's galactic customers and giving him, Lee Crane, to them to do with as they wanted. Next came Nelson's entrance into the torture chamber and his attempt to justify his actions, then the words he spat at the man for his betrayal of him and the people of Earth, and the promises he had made should he ever get free.

Finally came his moment of freedom and his actions against that sadistic demon Demari. That memory uncharacteristically drew a feral and unsettling smile to his face as he remembered his tormentor smashed against the wall, blue goo everywhere, and then it sliding limply to the floor most likely dead. He usually never took satisfaction in hurting or killing an adversary but this time it was different, it was very personal and he relished the joy in exacting his revenge.

He had his answers now, he'd known all along the red haired man was the key. He knew who he was and remembered all that had happened following their departure from Sydney. With the puzzle pieces of his mind now securely in place, the pain faded and his eyes widened fixing Nelson firmly in his sights. He had unconsciously begun advancing on his CO, his body moving fluidly like a large cat preparing to pounce.

Harri continued to back away from him, which confused him. As he watched him, he became aware of the look of concern and daresay fear in the man's eyes. Lee cocked his head and blinked confused by his reaction. Unaware of what was behind him, Nelson tripped over a chair leg, and fell clipping his head on the edge of a coffee table knocking himself out. Lee's eyes grew wide with surprise as he watched him go down. His reaction was immediate and he was on him at once.

Lee knelt down by the unconscious man. He reached forward and touched the nasty gash on the side of his head that was now bleeding profusely. "Admiral, can you hear me?" he said as he shook him slightly. He looked around for something to place on the wound but found nothing at hand. He reached forward to pat his face when he heard "Lee! No! Don't!" and was suddenly grabbed from behind and hauled roughly away.

"What the hell?!" Lee called out as he was dragged off. He looked up to the side and recognized Chip as the owner of the hands and the voice. "Chip, what's the matter with you?"

Morton quickly wrapped his arms forcefully around Lee's upper body pinning his arms to his sides. Lee struggled momentarily until he saw Jamie rush to Nelson's side. He rapidly checked the downed man's pulse, respiration and pupils then gently examined the wound on the side of his head. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and applied it to the wound.

He next removed his phone from his pocket and called Med Bay ordering a stretcher and transport. Jamie then turned and regarded Chip and Lee, focusing primarily on the dark haired man.

"How is he Jamie?" Lee inquired urgently.

"What are you doing here, Captain?" Jamie asked. The accusation in his voice was plainly evident.

"I needed to talk to him. I…I only realized I was at his front door when he opened it. I really don't remember how I got here; sort of like I was in a waking dream or something. I was trying to talk to him and he got a funny expression on his face and started to back away from me. He was backing up and tripped over the chair leg and went down hard," Lee replied, confused by the doctor's tone.

"You needed to just talk to him?!" Chip asked incredulously.

"Yeah, what do you think I was trying to do?"

"Oh I don't know, kill him?" Chip answered. "He told us what happened on Odeja. Lee up until a couple of hours ago, you had been little more than a vegetable. You couldn't move, couldn't communicate and then all of a sudden you're gone and we find you here kneeling over the admiral with his blood on your hands."

"Kill him?!" Lee replied, appalled at the notion. "Why would I want to kill him?"

"Do you even remember what happened on Odeja, Lee?" Jamieson asked, as he eyed him suspiciously.

Lee's face suddenly paled and he swallowed hard. "Yes, I remember exactly what happened on Odeja," he replied in a barely audible whisper. "I don't think I'll ever forget what happened there."

Just then both security and Jamie's staff arrived at the admiral's apartment. "Is everything all right Mr. Morton?" Darren Fox, head of NIMR security, asked as he surveyed the situation.

"Yes Darren, everything is fine," Chip replied as he released Lee. "As you can see we've found the captain. You can stand down your team and please let Sharkey know as well."

Fox scrutinized the captain, his hands red with blood, and the admiral unconscious and bleeding on the floor. "Yes sir," he answered hesitantly. He looked back at Chip somewhat dubious of the scene but garnered a quick nod of assurance from the Exec that everything was under control. He then raised the radio in his hand to his mouth and ordered the search suspended and everyone back to their stations. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No we're fine. Thanks, Darren." Chip answered. Fox nodded and he and his team exited the apartment.

As this was going on, Jamie completed another examination of the admiral and placed a temporary bandage on the cut to his head. That done, his corpsmen were now gently placing him on the gurney for transport back to Med Bay.

"How's he doing?" Chip asked.

"He's got a nice gash on the side of his head that will require a few stitches and appears to have picked up a very mild concussion. He should be fine in a couple of days."

"If it's a minor concussion why is he still out?" Lee asked anxiously.

"My guess is his body seized on the opportunity to get the rest it so badly needs," Jamie replied.

"What do you mean?" Lee inquired.

Jamie regarded Lee for a moment debating whether to reveal what had been going on while he was out or wait until he got the man back to Med Bay and examined him to ascertain his condition. Knowing he'd catch holy hell if he didn't answer his question now, he decided to forego the eruption if he balked. "He's been an emotional wreck ever since the two of you returned from your adventure to Odeja. He's been blaming and condemning himself for what happened there and for his inability to prevent it. He hasn't been sleeping or eating regularly and is therefore bordering on exhaustion."

"Blaming himself for what?" Lee asked, more than a little confused by the doctor's answer.

"For what happened to you and for not finding a way out sooner," Chip responded.

"There was nothing he could have done to change that," Lee replied with certainty. "We were at a very definite disadvantage and the only chance we had of escaping was for him to play along with Odejaians. He managed somehow to overcome them and get us back to FS-1 and home. I'm not all that clear on the details after I attacked Demari, but I know he took full advantage of my diversion to get us out of there and home. I don't know why he would be blaming himself or ashamed for any of his actions, he did all he could."

Chip and Jamie both smiled slightly at Lee's words. "That's what we've been trying to tell him since your return, but much like his captain he tends to focus on what he couldn't control rather than what he could. Hence the guilt and sense of self-condemnation," Jamie replied.

Lee glowered at the two for a moment as their smiles grew wider. He adamantly wanted to defend himself, but memories of Ferrell's execution and his prolonged funk after that staid his tongue. "Point taken," he finally replied quietly.

"We're ready to roll, Doctor," John said as he tightened the last strap across Nelson's chest.

"Great John. Let's get moving," Jamie replied. "Come on Captain, you too have a date with me in Med Bay to find out what all's really going on in that head of yours."

"Why Jamie? I feel fine. I don't need to go back there. I'll just head down to Seaview and grab a bunk there for tonight," Lee protested.

"Wrong answer. As Chip pointed out earlier you were paralyzed and unresponsive for the better part of two weeks, and before that you were literally a heartbeat away from cashing in your chips for good. Now you're walking and talking like none of that happened, and I want to know why. You stonewall me much longer and you won't see the outside of Med Bay or the inside of your boat for at least a month. Do you get me?" Jamie replied as he fixed Lee in his laser sights.

Lee dropped his shoulders and head in resignation and let loose a disgusted sigh. "Yes Doctor Jamieson, I get you. Can I at least walk back? I can't tell you how good it felt walking and running over here. You can even have Morton here escort me so I don't try to escape."

Jamie narrowed his eyes and regarded his CO for a moment. "All right, but you go directly back to Med Bay and your room with NO detours," he answered as he looked at Chip for confirmation that Lee would do as ordered.

"I'll see that he gets there Jamie," Chip answered with a laugh. "Come on Houdini, let's get you back to your cell before the doctor here gets any crankier."

Jamie nodded and exited the apartment to catch up with his corpsmen and accompany Harri over to Med Bay. Chip clapped Lee heartily on the shoulder and shooed him out the door while he pulled it shut and locked it.

(ooloo)

Lee and Chip made their way to the elevator then out of the building. As they stepped outside and Chip pulled shut the main door, Lee looked up at the stars, then took in a deep breath of the night air and savored its fresh flavor. Chip watched him carefully looking for any signs of weakness or distress.

"So, you said you just wanted to talk to the admiral?" Chip asked as they began walking leisurely back to Med Bay.

"Yeah. It was like this all consuming need to speak with him, to apologize for what had happened on Odeja. I only realized the reason I needed to do that, once he opened the door and I saw him. Up until then it had been an urgent imperative because I knew the _red haired man_ I had briefly seen in my room, was the key to all the answers I had to have," Lee explained.

"Apologize? Apologize for what, Lee?" Chip asked, truly baffled by his friend's statement.

"I thought you said Nelson told you about everything that happened on the planet? You seemed to know that I had threatened his life given your accusation that I had gone to his apartment to kill him."

"Yeah, well he just said you threatened to end him while that bastard alien had you pinned to the table after torturing you for who knows how long," Chip explained.

"Oh," Lee said softly. "Well there was a hell of a lot more to that exchange than he shared. It's for that I need to apologize to him."

"You're kidding me right? You _don't_ need to apologize for threatening his life but you _do_ for something else you said? What could be so bad that a death threat overrides that?"

Lee stopped walking and stared down at his shoes for a moment as he considered his answer. Chip watched him carefully unable to imagine what could be so offensive that Lee was compelled to escape from Med Bay and hunt down the admiral just to say he was sorry.

"The death threat was a ploy on my part to try and goad my captor into releasing me to see just what kind of a soldier I really was. Demari seemed to be most interested in how valuable humans would be in conflict and I got the impression it really wanted an actual demonstration of my talents and capabilities. What better way to bait them into releasing me than letting them think I believed Nelson had betrayed Earth and specifically handed me over to play lab rat. By threatening him with physical harm if I was ever freed, they would get a first-hand demonstration of how lethal I could be. They fell for it hook, line and sinker, luring the admiral into the chamber then surreptitiously releasing my bonds while they distracted him with conversation. They would steal glances at me while I got to my feet and then started my charge. The last thing they expected was for me to turn so suddenly and smash into that son of a blob. I don't remember anything really beyond popping Demari like a zit and watching it slump to the floor. Given the fact we're both back, I'm assuming the admiral was able to gain the upper hand and get us out."

"Okay, I get that but, what else did you say?" Chip inquired.

"If the admiral didn't say anything about it, then I won't either, at least until I've had a chance to talk with him. Let's just say that it really had an impact on him and I regret saying it. It was a shot way below the belt and if I'd been more coherent, I probably wouldn't have gone there. I was hoping to just sell my promise of mayhem against him and shouldn't have added the rest," Lee finished. They continued on towards Med Bay in silence as both processed that bit of information.

"Question for you Lee. How did you get into the Admin building? Did you have a set of picks in the heel of your sneaker, or what?" Chip asked trying to draw Lee back out.

"Back door was propped open," he replied. "Actually finding that, I think started my trip back to finding me. As I was walking through the receiving bay I remember thinking to myself ' _Need to talk to Chip about that'_. I actually stopped because I had no idea who that was," Lee responded with a laugh. "Once I saw the models of Seaview and FS-1 and our pictures on the wall behind them with names, well, things slowly started to come into focus. The only one I really didn't recognize because I hadn't seen him during my time in Med Bay, was me. All I really knew was that he was an incredibly handsome man and looked like an accomplished and able leader of men."

That remark brought Chip to an immediate halt. He glared at his younger brother and then punched him hard in the arm.

"Oww, what was that for?" Lee inquired trying hard to tamp down the smile.

"Seems like whatever the admiral injected you with resulted in a diminished ability to evaluate people and situations, and draw reasonable conclusions from the information provided. Sheesh, accomplished and able leader of men? Give me a break. I won't even touch incredibly handsome." Both men dissolved into to laughter and Chip slung his arm over Lee's shoulder as they resumed their walk back to Med Bay.

(olooo)


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Harri groaned softly as he made his way slowly towards consciousness. He immediately recognized the antiseptic odor of Med Bay and let loose another groan in dismay. As he laid there he began taking stock of his condition and searched his mind for a reason why he was here. After a moment everything seemed to coalesce and came into perfect focus.

"Lee," he whispered aloud as he recalled finding the young man outside his door. He had been completely surprised to see him standing there tall and strong, since up until the call from Jamieson he had been in a semi-vegetative state in Med Bay. There had been such an unusual glint to his eyes and that disconcerting smile; he actually feared he was there to make good on his threats made on Odeja, to kill him.

"Oh god son, I am so sorry," Harri whispered. "Please forgive me."

"Admiral?" a quiet and unexpected response came from across the room.

Harri's eyes snapped open and his heartrate jumped significantly as he recognized the voice of his captain and chosen son. If he had been on a heart monitor the change in pulse rate would have summoned the nursing staff immediately. The room was dark but he quickly spotted a figure standing by the window bathed in the faint moonlight.

Fear washed over Harri as he tried desperately to see the face of the man in the room. "Lee?" he called out apprehensively. "Is that you, son?"

"Yes, it's me. How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.

"I…I…I'm fine son. How are you?" Harri stammered. The fear he felt was now abundantly evident in his voice.

"I'm fine as well," Lee replied neutrally. He moved back across the room and pulled the chair closer to the bed.

"What is it you want, Lee? Why are you here?"

The figure moved in front of the chair and sat down. "I made a promise to myself sir and I'm here to fulfill it," Lee answered cryptically.

Harri sighed deeply trying to steady his nerves. He steeled himself for the impending attack; one that he felt he truly deserved. "What promise is that, son?" he asked, fearful of the answer.

"I'm here to apologize sir," Lee answered quietly. "I'm here to ask your forgiveness for what happened on Odeja, for what I said."

"What?!" Harri responded completely surprised by the answer he received. "Lee why would you ever think you owe me an apology for what happened there?"

"I went too far Harri; I never should have said what I did," Lee replied. "I should never have compared you to Seamus. I know you would never willingly agree to engage in slave trade. My intention was only to tempt our captors into letting me go free to demonstrate just how deadly I could be. I shouldn't have brought Seamus up; it served no purpose. I saw your reaction, how hurt you were and I was ashamed for dragging that out."

Harri could barely make out the man seated next to him. As best he could tell he was staring intently at the floor as he wrestled with some sort of misguided guilt. "Lee, son, could we please have a little light? I need to see you, lad." He watched as the dark figure rose from the chair and moved towards the bed and flipped on the light behind Nelson's head.

They both blinked and squinted their eyes as they adjusted to the light. As his vision focused Harri looked over at Lee, he was genuinely pleased to see the young man healthy and hale after having last seen him little more than a breathing corpse for what seemed forever. He smiled at him and the smile was readily returned which filled him with joy.

"I'm sorry I frightened you, sir," Lee said. "Jamie basically forbade me from being here when you first awoke because he thought you would be alarmed. You woke up much earlier than he anticipated. I've been sneaking in between vitals checks just to sit with you. I couldn't stay away, not until I had my say before you sent me away."

Harri looked at him quizzically, unable to think of anything that Lee would have taken as a reason for him to send him away. He held out his hand to the younger man. Lee moved forward and grasped it. Harri pulled him close, and enveloped him in a desperate hug, which Lee returned without hesitation.

"Lee there's nothing in this world or the next you have to apologize for. It's me that needs to beg your forgiveness, son. I threw you to those wolves and they abused you beyond my wildest fears. I'm so sorry. I wasn't clever enough to figure a better way out and I almost lost you in the bargain. Oh god Lee, please forgive me." Harri said as he hugged him tighter.

"You have no need to apologize sir. You did the only thing you could to keep the Earth safe. I was a minor sacrifice to keep them from carrying out their plans. In the same situation, I would have been forced to sacrifice you the same way," Lee replied. He pushed out of the admiral's embrace and sat back down in the chair. "I knew from the video they showed me you had no choice. It took a while but it did dawn on me. I _knew_ you would never willingly give me up."

"How could you know from that Lee?" Harri asked.

"We've been together for a long time sir; we've played entirely too much poker for me not to be able to read you," he replied with a slight smile. "Your face, your posture, your voice all screamed a losing hand. You wouldn't sell out any member of your crew let alone the planet if you had any other choice. Given the prize you were playing for, I was little more than an ante, a small price to pay."

Harri stared at Lee surprised at his reasoning and deductions. "You're 100% right and 100% wrong," he responded. "You're right in that I would never willingly betray any member of my crew or my species, but you couldn't be more wrong about the price. Lee you are worth more to me personally than anything I own or hold dear, with the sole exception of Edith. There you are of equal value to me. I condemned myself to hell and back for 'giving' them access to you."

Lee stared at Harri, overwhelmed at his disclosure, then lowered his eyes in embarrassment. He tried to speak but found himself incapable of responding. Both men were intensely private individuals holding close their emotions not daring to reveal too much of themselves to anyone. This shared experience had stripped away that last barrier between them and left them both as raw and vulnerable as an exposed nerve.

"Please Lee, forgive me son."

"If it will help you rest easy, then yes I forgive you although you did nothing wrong. In exchange, I hope you will accept my apology as well." Lee replied.

Harri laughed quietly and nodded. "Yes son, it will help me to rest easy and I accept your apology, though you were well within in your rights to draw that conclusion given the situation in which I placed you. I think you may have missed your calling as an actor lad, because I fully believed you had every intention of coming after me if you got free."

Lee returned Harri's smile and chuckled. "Then I did my job well. I had to make them believe there was nothing I wanted more than to make you pay for your betrayal. I think the biggest surprise for them was how quickly I could move even after enduring their ministrations. I'm sure Demari was wondering what had gone wrong right up until the moment it went **pop**."

"The price for underestimating you Lee is exceedingly high and I personally do my best not to fall into that trap." Harri replied. They sat there in silence as they worked to deal with the horrors and emotional trauma that they had faced.

"Thank you for getting me out sir. I wish I could have been of more help but it doesn't look as if you needed it," Lee finally said breaking the awkward silence.

"Your diversion, and dare I say shot of inexorable justice, was invaluable Lee. It was the moment of shock we needed, and then I was further assisted by Pradjic when it dispatched Kolmar. Without it, we would both have died on that planet," Harri explained. "I think between us; we gave the Odejaians a very painful lesson in underestimating the human race."

Lee smiled slightly and nodded his agreement. "Well sir, I best let you get back to sleep so Jamie will let you out. Plus, I need to get back to bed before they discover me gone and tie me down. Jamie has made some very explicit threats I have no doubt he will carry out if I'm found to be UA again. Good night sir." He stood and began walking towards the door.

(ooloo)

Not willing to let this opportunity escape him, Harri called him back. "Lee, before you go there's something else I want to talk with you about. Please come back and sit down."

"What's that sir?" he asked as he returned to his seat.

"Lee I think I've been successful in letting you know how important you are to me, how I feel about you."

Lee nodded his head agreeing with Harri's assessment. "Yes sir, you have. I'm still blown away by the fact you think of me as a son. And you know that I more than return those feelings, I hope."

Harri smiled and nodded, he too was amazed that Lee had long considered him his father. "Seizing on those feelings Lee, son, uh…I very much want to make you heir to all I have. Lee, by doing this, I think this expresses in a tangible way how much you have come to mean to me; how much I love you, son. I want you to take over NIMR, I want you to be the person to lead the way into the future and ensure my vision stays alive once I'm gone."

Lee sat there completely dumbfounded, never in his life expecting something like this. Over Christmas Harri had said that he considered Lee like a son, but he had no idea his affection was to this depth. Harri sat there expectantly waiting for his response. After nearly a minute Lee finally found his voice.

"Admiral, you…that…I… That's too much sir. You don't owe me a thing and if this is somehow an attempt to make up for what happened on Odeja, it's not necessary. What about Edith? You shouldn't rush into anything like this sir."

"Lee my motives for doing this are wholly selfish and aren't driven by any need on my part to atone for my role in what happened to you on Odeja. I still need to find a way to do that regardless of what you say, but that's a discussion for another time," Harri began. "I have been planning this for some time and had started to tell you about this on FS-1 just before you spotted that flash. I had the papers drawn up months ago and was only looking for the right time to broach the subject. I've discussed this thoroughly with Edith and she couldn't agree more. She doesn't have the interest and fire for what we do, and although she would do an excellent job taking NIMR forward, it would be more a chore than a labor of love. This is something I want to pass onto someone who shares my vision and my passion for our work, I want to pass this on to _my son_ , to you Lee."

Lee stared incomprehensibly at Nelson trying desperately to process what he had just heard. How could he even consider giving his life's work to him, the gutter snipe, throw away child no one really ever wanted? Harri smiled slightly, enjoying catching Lee so off guard and unprepared. Given Lee's continuing silence Harri pressed forward.

"To be honest Lee, I never really had the desire for a wife and family, in large part because of the time and energy those commitments require. Those roles and responsibilities would have taken valuable time and attention away from what I wanted to achieve in life, which was Seaview and NIMR. To my credit, I think not caving into the pressures to take on the traditional family was one of the better decisions I made in my life. I spared whichever souls unfortunate enough to get stuck with me the pain and heartbreak of being always second or maybe third in my list of priorities and subject to my temper and moodiness when things didn't go well."

Lee stared at him and shook his head in the negative. As he prepared to respond, Harri held up his hand.

"You know me well enough to know that to be the truth, lad," he said with a chuckle. "Interesting thing though, strangely that all changed when I met you. From the moment I _rescued_ you from the frozen streets of Annapolis your first Christmas at the Academy, I think I've always known I wanted you to be a part of my life. I found this gaping hole, an emptiness and longing for someone to share in what I was doing and someday have that person take that part of me into the future to live and grow beyond my time. I found that person in you, Lee."

"I found in you the son that I never knew I wanted or even needed. I discovered a kindred spirit whose thirst for knowledge equaled my own; whose honor, integrity, dedication, and drive to be the best resonated with me. Also, you get me, and there are so few in this world that truly understand me and my quirks. Even as a plebe, you never seemed overwhelmed by the differences in our ranks or stations in life. Your interactions with me have always been so open and trusting, and you've been unafraid to voice your opinion, even if it differs from mine, from the start. To this day Jiggs can't figure out why the hell I let you get away with that. I find myself incredibly comfortable in your company and I'm able to relax and be myself. Again there are very few who fall into that category, and you know them all. So son, what do you say, would you be willing to take over for me when the time comes and allow me to make you my beneficiary and my heir?"

Lee sat there completely stunned by what Harri had just revealed. He fought hard to make any words come out but found himself having difficulty talking. He finally pulled in a deep breath, then blew it out, and attempted to respond one more time.

"Wow, what can I say?" Lee started.

"You could say yes," Harri offered quietly, a slight smile on his face.

"You credit me with too much, sir. I'm not worthy of such a gift. I'm sure there are others better suited to take NIMR into the future."

"I'm not a particularly spiritual man or inclined to believe in a predetermined life plan, but fate, for lack of a better word, seemingly keeps throwing us together time and again, and more times than not it's you coming to my rescue. Lee you have had my back at every turn since I met you and many times to your detriment, and yet you still call me friend. There's no one I trust or can rely on more. Given you keep popping up like a bad penny, I'm ready to quit fighting fate and recognize that we were meant to be together from the start."

"It hasn't been a one-way street Harri, you've been there for me just as much. You _did_ rescue me that Christmas in more ways than you can imagine. Don't you think you're taking a huge chance with your legacy leaving it in my hands? I'm not a scientist, I'm a sub jockey and not much more than that," Lee answered.

"I don't doubt my decision Lee; I've never been wrong when it comes to you. There was no one else I really envisioned as Seaview's captain. I had you in mind from the start but was stymied in my attempts to lure you away. It took a tragedy, may John rest in peace, and an improbable success in saving our country, that allowed me to coerce the President and the Navy into letting me have you. I can think of no one else I want at the helm of NIMR after I've had my fill but you." Harri continued.

"Look how much of the operations you have already taken responsibility for Lee, and you do it all extremely well. I see you and Chip leading NIMR on to bigger and better things down the line. I have the enviable position of being able to choose my son, and I have found and selected the best son in the world, you Lee. The only regret I might have is that I didn't find you sooner when your life was truly hell or didn't act faster to claim you, but then I suppose all things come in their own time, if we attribute our actions to fate. We had to reach this moment to be ready to take the next step forward. So what do you say, will you allow me the great honor of claiming you as son and to bestow what few gifts I can upon you?"

Lee remained absolutely still, not because he was uncertain of his response but because he was fighting hard to maintain his composure. He raised his hands to his face and quickly wiped away the moisture that had gathered in his eyes. He was precariously close to losing it. As he prepared to answer, the door to Harri's room suddenly swung open and Jamieson entered.

"There you are! Care to tell me what you're doing out of bed and in here Mister?" Jamie blustered.

"Jamie…I just dropped by to check on the admiral...he was awake and wanted to talk," Lee replied lamely.

"That's the truth, Jamie. I saw Lee looking through the window and waved him in," Nelson lied. "We've had a great chat, cleared the air, and resolved issues of guilt, betrayal, and such."

Jamieson glowered at both men, knowing all too well they would cover each other's ass until the end of time. "All right, well you're supposed to be in bed _Captain_ and you're supposed to be asleep _Admiral_. If you are unable to comply with those prescriptions I have pharmaceuticals and straps that will resolve those lapses in your complicity."

Both men smiled at the chastisement knowing Jamie had quickly determined their conversation had been mutually beneficial. Nelson pulled up the blankets and scooched down in his bed. Lee rose from his chair and began heading for the door.

As Lee grabbed the handle and pulled open the door, Harri spoke. "So what do you say, Son? What is your answer?"

Lee looked back at Harri and smiled. "Yes is my answer, sir. I would be honored beyond all bounds of comprehension to accept your offer. Although I think we'll find _Necessity*_ a better venue for further discussions on the subject."

Harri smiled and began to laugh. "Agreed son. Once we're both set free I think _Necessity_ is an essential."

Lee smiled again and chuckled as he regarded Jamie's confused expression. "Are you done now?" The doctor asked petulantly, knowing something important had just occurred between these two men.

"Yes Jamie," Lee replied. "I'm on my way back to bed. I'll see you in the morning, and you too Harri."

"Sleep well, Son. I'll see you for breakfast. Is that satisfactory with you Jamie?" Nelson replied.

Jamie scowled at them again, but inside was thrilled to find they had resolved any issues from Odeja and were ready to move forward. He definitely noticed Lee's use of the admiral's first name, something he rarely if ever used in front of others. He also noticed the pain and guilt he'd seen in Harri's eyes was gone. Something of great import had definitely just happened. "Yes that's fine with me as long as you both go back to bed and get the rest you need. Lee go back to your room and I'll be there after I've ensured the admiral is well on his way to recovery."

"Will do Jamie. See you in the morning, sir." Lee answered and shot Harri a shy and slightly embarrassed smile before he exited his room.

"Good night son." Harri replied.

"All right, what are you two plotting?" Jamie inquired after the door swung shut.

"Nothing Jamie. Lee and I have come to an accommodation and we're both ready to forget Odeja and move on."

"Harrumph. That just means more work for me," Jamie grumbled good naturedly. "Now, how are you feeling Harri?"

"Would you believe I've never felt better in my life?"

 **The End**

 ***** The Mother of Invention

I would like to thank you all for reading my story and a special thanks to those who took the time to let me know what you thought. Aside from being generous payment for my efforts, your feedback let's me know if I'm doing this right and helps me next time around. I also appreciate you allowing me to torture you a bit as I doled out my story a bit at a time. A very special thanks to Angela, who provided the seeds for this story. She was a wealth of ideas and inspiration and will most definitely be missed. - Caribou Kid


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